Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[Tikkijane]

You can have two but they work better in a flock of 5 or more, they can protect themselves better against predators there is strength in numbers. You might want to find out if you are allowed to have livestock were you live since you are in SD. Remember they are very chatty and will announce when there is a predator or if they see someone or something they feel threatened by. 

I wouldn't even say 5. Once I got down to 11, I had a day where I lost 3 via getting picked off one by one. Honestly, I'd say at least 10 if you want them to act as a flock and be effective. That's my two cents at least.

 

[Summer98]

I'm considering getting a few guineas, but my hold up is that I don't want them to hurt or harass my free range chickens (including roosters). I also have cats and sheep ranging around. Are they really that aggressive where they would harass or hurt the other animals? They would all have to share the farm together and would be on pasture together. I would have the guineas in their own coop separate from the chickens, but they would free range with everyone else. Is this realistic? If my roosters are going to get hurt, it's not worth it to me.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I'm considering getting a few guineas, but my hold up is that I don't want them to hurt or harass my free range chickens (including roosters). I also have cats and sheep ranging around. Are they really that aggressive where they would harass or hurt the other animals? They would all have to share the farm together and would be on pasture together. I would have the guineas in their own coop separate from the chickens, but they would free range with everyone else. Is this realistic? If my roosters are going to get hurt, it's not worth it to me.

I have raised several groups, different breeders. Every group eventually targets the roos in my flock, and the tom turkeys. Love the guineas, but they are housed away from my main coops. They are ok if not confined with other breeds as adults. I free range everyone so its not an issue here since they have a separate coop and not forced into a pecking order.

 

[R2elk]

I'm considering getting a few guineas, but my hold up is that I don't want them to hurt or harass my free range chickens (including roosters). I also have cats and sheep ranging around. Are they really that aggressive where they would harass or hurt the other animals? They would all have to share the farm together and would be on pasture together. I would have the guineas in their own coop separate from the chickens, but they would free range with everyone else. Is this realistic? If my roosters are going to get hurt, it's not worth it to me.

A few guineas is the problem. Guineas are a flock bird and the recommended minimum is 10 guineas for a flock. If you have enough guineas and keep them in a separate coop, they can be free ranged with your other poultry without problem. They will keep to themselves and leave the other poultry alone.

Where you get into trouble is with just a few guineas and a high number of males to females or even all males and they will use their feather pulling ways on the other poultry especially during breeding season as they seek mates that don't exist.

I can't think of any reason that the guineas would bother the sheep. If the cats leave them alone they should leave the cats alone.

Good luck.

 

[leslea]

I prefer to brood mine under a bantam, or incubate for sure, Thats just awesome for you!! Mine didn;t do well hatching their own, and I lost a month of laying letting them do it. I blame the ducks for raiding the nests.. but can't risk it again.

Good post, yep, very true.

My silkies are bantams.

 

[leslea]

I'm considering getting a few guineas, but my hold up is that I don't want them to hurt or harass my free range chickens (including roosters). I also have cats and sheep ranging around. Are they really that aggressive where they would harass or hurt the other animals? They would all have to share the farm together and would be on pasture together. I would have the guineas in their own coop separate from the chickens, but they would free range with everyone else. Is this realistic? If my roosters are going to get hurt, it's not worth it to me.

I have two, one male and one female. The male charges out of the coop first thing every morning, but then he free ranges with the rest of the birds. He is only 3 mo old, but pretty big. So far neither he or the female have hurt any of my chickens. They all brooded together and are exactly the same age. I don't have room for 15 guineas nor do I desire two coops in my relatively small backyard, so this is an experiment. We have tons of trees and eventually I expect the guineas to fly up there. I just hope they come back.

Our rooster (which we didn't want, came wrong-sexed from the seller) is a bantam, and not terribly aggressive. If any trouble starts he will likely be the one to go.

So far, so good, though. Everyone gets along. Maybe it's different at 6 mo, but I hope not.

 

[mommaguinea]

I have cats in the barn with the guineas- lets jus say there is mutual respect On occassion the roos will chase the cats, but it soes not keep the cats awy from the barn and where they are fed. I have no other poultry with the guineas but I do keep arather large flock. I can not imagine any issues with sheep.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Quote: The aggression starts after the males mature, the spring after they were born. I have several different groups from different breeders, and have hatched them a couple years now. I am not trying to sway anyone away from keeping guinea. Just posting my experiences to help those that start new with them.
I love them, will keep raising them. But not coop them with my adult male birds, its too problematic for me. Guinea cocks will attack a full grown adult tom without mercy.

I have cats in the barn with the guineas- lets jus say there is mutual respect On occassion the roos will chase the cats, but it soes not keep the cats awy from the barn and where they are fed. I have no other poultry with the guineas but I do keep arather large flock. I can not imagine any issues with sheep.

They are fine with the cows, pigs and goats we have kept. They really like the hogs rooting bugs up for them. My barncats know not to touch my poultry or they dont stay.

 

[kittyhelene]

Can guinea fowl live with ducks?

My four guineas get on fine with my 8 ducks, 13 chickens and 2 roosters. They tend to keep to themselves mostly.

 

[The100AcreWood]

Hello - I am a first time guinea owner. We have raised 4 of them since they were day old keets. We had one behaving quite strange for a few days - she wouldn't extend her neck, was roosting a lot and generally seems 'off' if she came out of the coop she seems disoriented. Yesterday, she came down and out to eat and drink, was extending her neck fine and acting as if she was on the mend. Two hours later I went outdoors to collect the chicken eggs and found her upside down in the bathing hole, passed away. We have no idea what happened. They do live with the chickens and they pick on them from time to time (hens pick on the guinea. The guinea are about 4 mo. Old now) but nothing severe, more herding and the occasional peck. I did a massive coop clean yesterday and found no sign of odd droppings, extra feathers, etc. We did inspect the body and found nothing odd on her either. We are dumbfounded -any insight would be appreciated! Thank you!