Raising Guinea Fowl for the first time...any advice?

[Jarb1951]

I have been given 2 male Guineas. They are in a pen. I need 2 females, and figure out what to do next.
Free range? A pen? What next? I will appreciate suggestions. All of their mates were killed at intervals
by hawks. Thanks, JARB1951

 

[PioneerPrincess]

Well, I'd say it depends. What do you want in your guineas? simply as an alarm-system? pest control? breeding and selling? are they for pets / enjoyment purposes? or all of the above?

In my experience, my females have been better at alerting for danger. They will buckwheat very loudly and constantly till they feel safe enough to be quiet. My male will join in calling after the females do or if he is separated from them. Male and female guineas, of course, are excellent at controlling ticks, flies, and snakes (though, I'm not crazy at the last factor, since I very much enjoy snakes!). And the answer to breeding and enjoyment is obvious. : ) It's your choice. I had to sell my first seven guinea hens for they were much too loud for where we live in the suburbs. I am very blessed to now have two pretty quiet hens; they mostly just buckwheat/ chi-chi-chi if they see/sense danger.

Personally, I would keep any new guineas in quarantine for two to three weeks, then keep them locked in their new quarters (coop plus pen) for an additional three to four weeks, making it a total of six weeks that they are locked up, just so that they know without a doubt that your new place is their home. It depends where you live and what your personal choice is as far as free-ranging goes. When I let new guineas out for the first time, I usually clip a wing, just in case (I really don't like losing any of my birds!) and to give them more time on the ground instead of being able to fly and wander far away. If you live in the suburbs, for example, you may want to cut a wing or two and have a completely fenced yard so they don't go wandering and disturb your neighbors. Or, if you haven't got a fence, probably keep them in a pen or even a tractor and move it every few days or so, so that they can get a bit of the free-range experience. If you live in a more open area with plenty of land, you can let them free-range, which I'm sure they'd love. I'd just make sure that they know where home is so they won't wander away and never come back.

I hope that helps you a bit! : ) Sorry to hear about all the hawk-attacks. I had a hawk take my male guinea (only one at that time) about a year and a half ago. The year before that, a bobcat snatched our first (and, same again, only one at the time) male guinea. Thankfully, nothing's got our third male guinea and this time we have three young guineas from our own roo and hens that we're raising to keep. I hope that at least one is a roo! : D