Raising Guinea Fowl 101

[LapisLazuli]

Sorry if these questions are annoying but I just started learning about guineas.
Why can't I house them with the ducks?
Why do I need that many?

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

How many would you recommend getting I don't have room for more than +/- 10 because I will also have the ducks with them.

You can’t really count on them getting along with ducks. I brooded my original group with ducklings and chicks. That was fine until the guineas got a bit older and started attacking the other poultry. I had to rehome half of those guineas. My younger guineas that were brooded with only guineas are fine free ranging with the ducks. My original guinea cock that I kept still tries to attack the ducks.

 

[R2elk]

Sorry if these questions are annoying but I just started learning about guineas.
Why can't I house them with the ducks?
Why do I need that many?

Guineas are a flock bird. To have good flock dynamics there needs to be enough of them for proper interaction and to help prevent a single one from constantly being picked on.

Guineas especially the keets need to be dry. Ducks don't tend to provide a dry environment.

People that haven't had guineas before normally don't realize just how different guineas are from other poultry. They need to have much more space available to them. The 4 sq. ft. per bird is an absolute minimum for the coop. They also need access to a run or free range with much more space available to allow for their races, chases and feather pulling and breaking. They need to have hiding places and other obstacle to provide escapes.

 

[Ms Oneal]

I have been thinking about getting some

 

[Flock o Dinos]

I may or may not have read this thread in its entirety
Hopefully it was enough to fill all the gaps in my knowledge and cement everything. At the very least, it was quite entertaining.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I may or may not have read this thread in its entirety
Hopefully it was enough to fill all the gaps in my knowledge and cement everything. At the very least, it was quite entertaining.

It is one loooonnng thread!!!

 

[R2elk]

It is one loooonnng thread!!!

With a few detours.

 

[Folly's place]

New to guineas!!!
Today I sold some chickens at the local auction, and while I was there, saw something ugly. 45F and windy, and this person brought 30 keets, partially but not fully feathered, and left them in a wire cage in that cold wind. I was there two hours, and had to watch them shivering and dying. Awful! When the auctioneer got to that cage, he refused to sell them, so I offered to take them home immediately, so they wouldn't be out there any longer.
Now I have 27 live birds (so far) and hope most will survive. Game bird starter, 90F brooder, some are now eating.
True confessions: I've never wanted guineas! I'm in south Michigan, near Lansing, and hope to have at least some healthy young guineas available.
And advice! New birds here, have never raised them before!
mary

 

[R2elk]

New to guineas!!!
Today I sold some chickens at the local auction, and while I was there, saw something ugly. 45F and windy, and this person brought 30 keets, partially but not fully feathered, and left them in a wire cage in that cold wind. I was there two hours, and had to watch them shivering and dying. Awful! When the auctioneer got to that cage, he refused to sell them, so I offered to take them home immediately, so they wouldn't be out there any longer.
Now I have 27 live birds (so far) and hope most will survive. Game bird starter, 90F brooder, some are now eating.
True confessions: I've never wanted guineas! I'm in south Michigan, near Lansing, and hope to have at least some healthy young guineas available.
And advice! New birds here, have never raised them before!
mary

Don't keep them with the chickens.

Partially feathered should be okay with 85°F measured at the bedding level. If they are on wood chips, they need to have appropriately sized grit available. They can and will eat the shavings but cannot digest them without grit in their system.

Read the early parts of this thread and pay particular attention to posts by @PeepsCA.

Good luck.

 

[Folly's place]

Buying chick grit today!
One still not looking good, only four dead so far. better than expected, but it's early times yet.
Mary