Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[pattyhen]

Thank you for your concern but I think I can handle Spiderman if he turns into this vicious animal that you describe. I have had chickens since 2002 and I am not new to the world of birds. I have dealt with roosters before and I've been spurred many times. I am still alive to talk about it.

Have a great day and I will heed your warnings.

 

[twehe]

What temperature range can they exist. Better how cold can they take it. Mine prefer to live in the trees.

 

[R2elk]

What temperature range can they exist. Better how cold can they take it. Mine prefer to live in the trees.

Mine have done well at -30°F. I do coop mine at night but there is no heat in the coop. If I were to allow them to roost in the trees, I would very soon not have any. I lost my whole first flock to Great Horned owls. I also have raccoons around that would be happy to feed on roosting guineas.

 

[niklin]

After six years of keeping guineas one of our hens presented us with 17 keets in late September. We put them and mom in a raised covered pen with a heat lamp. Lost a few to begin with but the majority were healthy and active. About a month ago when they started to attempt to fly we moved them into a vacant stall in the barn. ( again with mom) and provided them with some roosting branches.They all seemed healthy and happy. We were just about to let them loose when yesterday my husband went in to feed and saw one fly right onto a wall, which broke his neck. Discovered six more on the ground dead so presumably same scenario. He immediately released the balance but two of those were very lethargic and wobbly and died shortly thereafter. The other 6 or 7 were fine - came outside and started pecking , scratching etc. But by afternoon all but 1 had disappeared. We hoped they would turn up but it has been over 24 hours now and no sign of them. I am absolutely in shock that we kept these babies safe and healthy for almost 3 months and then in the course of a day we went from 15 keets to one???? What could we have done different? I feel horrible - like I did not protect them sufficiently. .

 

[duluthralphie]

Welcome to BYC. I hope you enjoy it here....



I am guessing just opened the door startled the, or one and it flew into the wall or window and the rest followed it.

Guineas are very flighty and not all that bright. I raise mine in tractors and never all in one bunch. No matter what you do they will startle. The trick is not having something they can get hurt in. Stock tanks work, I use them as brooders and before the tractors.

Mine from this spring have never been free yet. They will not be until next spring after I get my 500 eggs from them.
Other than padding the room in sheets to break the flight into the walls there is not much you could have done.

Did you feed and see them daily? Did you speak before opening the door. Talking while not stopping them from getting startled and acting nuts seem to help a little.

I am sorry this happened. Better luck on your next batch.

Were the parents with them when they went outside?

Did they have a way to get back into the barn?

Did he chase them out or let them idly walk out on their own?

Remember Guineas are not too bright so they need to go slowly with new things and places.

 

[guineapeeps]

After six years of keeping guineas one of our hens presented us with 17 keets in late September. We put them and mom in a raised  covered pen with a heat lamp. Lost a few  to begin with but the majority were healthy and active. About a month ago when they started to attempt to fly we moved them into a vacant stall in the barn. ( again with mom) and provided them with some roosting branches.They all seemed healthy and happy. We were just about  to let them loose when  yesterday my husband went in to feed and saw one fly right onto a wall, which broke his neck. Discovered six more on the ground dead so presumably same scenario. He immediately released the balance but two of those were very lethargic and wobbly and died shortly thereafter.  The other 6 or 7 were fine - came outside and started pecking , scratching etc. But by afternoon all but 1 had disappeared. We hoped they would turn up but it has been over 24 hours now and no sign of them. I am absolutely in shock that we kept these babies safe and healthy for almost 3 months and then in the course of a day we went from 15 keets to one???? What could we have done  different?  I feel horrible - like I did not protect them sufficiently. .

I have to wonder if your Guineas were sick. Were they all ok prior to this incident? Do you have any other birds that seem to be having any problems? I find it hard to believe that so many killed themselves by breaking their neck...I could see one or two doing that, but six? I don't think that is likely...no matter how skittish or flighty they are. The other thing I find fishy is the few that wobbled out of the coop and died shortly thereafter. The coincidence of all your Guineas dying in one day under several different circumstances would be really strange and I would be suspecting an underlying cause other than injury. Hopefully the Guineas that took off are still alive around your property. What is the weather like where you live? If there is snow on the ground, they may be roosting up in the trees somewhere until there is some bare ground to land on.
Let us know if the remaining Guineas come home and if you come up with any more info.

 

[guineapeeps]

What temperature range can they exist.  Better how cold can they take it.  Mine prefer to live in the trees.

I agree with R2elk...they seem to tolerate cold temperatures pretty well. I keep mine in a coop at night as well and generally do not provide any heat in the winter. I live in SE Iowa and it will occasionally ger below zero and they do just fine. Having said that, a few years back, my Guineas flew up in the trees just before a snow storm and wouldn't come down. That night, the temp dipped to around -20F with high winds. Late that night, they got blown out of the trees, but not before one of my males got frostbite on his wattles and one side fell off. Luckily, they all survived but not sure they would've faired so well had they been up there a whole lot longer.
I would say that predators are a bigger threat than weather. I have raccoons and owls roaming my property all the time at night and if I let my Guineas roost in the trees, I would not have any left either. Depending on where you live, and the predators in your area, you may want to consider putting them in a coop at night.

 

[niklin]

thanks. I live in mid-south it Is cold ( for here ) right now. I think it is going down into 20's tonight but no snow. we still had a heat lamp in their stall for then that they could go to if cold although they were completely feathered out. I am kind of devastated about this.

 

[mkeawsh]

Mine used to roost in the tree right outside the chicken house and tractors. Worried about them every night but you can't tell a guinea where to sleep. I hear owls every night and never lost any to them but have lost 8 during the day to families of red foxes, gray foxes, coyotes and a bobcat. The four I have remaining have a better average of escaping than the predators after them but it is just a matter of time before each of their lucks run out.
Now they roost in the barn - no heat of course - with 10 of my 70 chickens that refuse to go in the house or tractors at night. Have a simple heat lamp hanging from beam that they tend to be standing under for a while during the day when they get a little chilled but most of the time they are outside in the cold walking on the snow being as loud as they always. LOL

 

[BiophiliaDJT]

If you built a huge, netted enclosure over your garden, could you keep these fellows in there free range for pest control?