Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[guineapeeps]

Hello, fellow guinea fowl owners. I am new to this type of fowl but very pleased with my tribe of 6. My question has probably been covered in earlier posts but I couldn't find it. I have a lot of outdoor cats - tame. I have raised lots of other poultry types over the years from baby chicks to maturity. My cats have payed very little attention - even as cheeping baby fowl to the various ducklings, goslings, poults, and chicks. But it had been very different with keets. Two of my cats are almost like rockstar groupies when it comes to them. I don't know if it's the unique chatter of the keets or their ability to fly, but man alive, these two cats are obsessed! They follow them, climb the trees they are in, and seemingly mock stalk them. I have never seen the cats actually make a play for one...and they could as the keets are quite tame (I can still get close enough to pick one up). The keets are now about 11 weeks and getting some size to them so I don't worry as much as I did a few weeks ago about them getting jumped by a cat. But what is it about guinea fowl that make them irresistible to my cats?? Thanks for the help!

I have not had this problem. I have one cat that is actually scared of my Guineas. He catches other birds and I'm sure he would think about catching and eating my smaller keets if he was not so terrified of the adults. In fact, if my Guineas see him they form a large group and chase him under the car or into the bushes.....it's actually a little comical to watch!

 

[redsoxs]

Thanks, Mysterious. I think mine are very near or have reached the safe size where a cat won't harass them. Interestingly, some of my chickens bully them...others treat them as one members the flock. Will the guineas grow into being the aggressors as they get bigger? Will they even want to mingle with the chickens. At night they are cooped separately but in the day time the free ranging guineas always fly into the chicken coop and then act like they can't get out.

 

[redsoxs]

I have not had this problem. I have one cat that is actually scared of my Guineas. He catches other birds and I'm sure he would think about catching and eating my smaller keets if he was not so terrified of the adults. In fact, if my Guineas see him they form a large group and chase him under the car or into the bushes.....it's actually a little comical to watch!

I do like the group mentality of guineas. Maybe that's why my cats have not actually attacked - to them it looks like one big 6-headed bird rather than 6 individuals!

 

[Tikkijane]

You know, you could be right, The "come back" is said in the same tone a carnie yells it at a "game" at a carnival.

 

[Kim Z]

My cats are terrified of the adult guineas. They have learned that messing with the flock gets them a swift peck, scolding and a merry chase into the woods.

 

[Aozora]

I had a reverse trio (2 males and 1 female) of guineas, but I just had to put down the female due to an injury. I think a raccoon reached through the wire of the pen and tore her up. There are traps out now for the $%#@ coons and the wire is getting overlaid with hardware cloth.

I have my guineas in with turkeys--they were raised together since both critters share a penchant for bug murder. Do I need to get some females to distract my terrible two come springtime? I don't want them harassing the turkeys too much.

 

[duluthralphie]

My Partridge Chanticler that hatched the 13 keets is having a nightmare. One of Ethel's babies moved in with her. It is a female and is just getting it's voice. It was calling "Buckwheat" Comeback" or Sucker" for about 20 minutes straight this morning. The hen was going nuts trying to get her baby to act like a respectable chicken.

 

[guineapeeps]

I have a crippled Guinea hen that has only went broody and hatched eggs one time which was over a year ago. This year, she has not layed any eggs at all; however she seems to have stolen some keets from another Guinea hen. She lets the other hen do some of the parenting but has almost completely taken over the keets since the day they hatched, laying on them at night to keep them warm, catching bugs for them etc. I've never seen any bird do this before. (I've had other hens try to keetnap other babies but only after laying eggs, going broody, and hatching her own keets.) Has anyone ever had their Guinea completely take over a group of keets when they hadn't even layed on or hatched any eggs? I always known that this particular hen is smarter than your average Guinea but to me this seems exceptional....especially for a Guinea!

 

[guineapeeps]

I had a reverse trio (2 males and 1 female) of guineas, but I just had to put down the female due to an injury. I think a raccoon reached through the wire of the pen and tore her up. There are traps out now for the $%#@ coons and the wire is getting overlaid with hardware cloth.

I have my guineas in with turkeys--they were raised together since both critters share a penchant for bug murder. Do I need to get some females to distract my terrible two come springtime? I don't want them harassing the turkeys too much.

I think your male Guineas would be much happier with at least a few hens, especially during the spring, summer, and fall when they are mating and laying eggs (my Guineas do this through late Sept/early October). Guineas tend to do much better and are more content in a larger flock. I have had as few as 4 and as many as 30. I like to keep mine at around 10 or so, which is enough to keep the bug population down but not so many that I am overrun each spring when they start to multiply! I also like to have 1 male for every 2 to 3+ females... The males don't seem to fight over the girls as much and things seem more peaceful with this ratio. Good luck!

 

[cabinchicky]

I was so very tempted to bring home 7 keets yesterday to add to my crazy two remaining girls.I found themat Rural King, fully feathered and ondiscount!I would have let them grow out first, but then I thought.Your son and husband may just lock you in the mental ward if you do! So maybe next year if I get through their first spring.