Ready to free range, but....

[racuda]

My Guineas were all coop trained, then one be one they started roosting in a big oak tree. Now about 20 are in the tree and the other 18 are in the coop.

 

[robin416]

Mrs. Fluffy Puffy :

I don't think so ... a Hawk can carry a full grown chicken, or guinea!
I lost 2 guineas in one night to an owl ...

I'm not surprised at that. An owl has no competition from the Guinea when its snatched off its roost in the middle of the night when it has no sight.

A Guinea that is free ranging and aware of its surroundings is much harder to snatch. A fighting struggling Guinea is hard for us to handle, imagine what it would be like for a bird trying to regain flight. If the bird is not killed instantly chances are it can escape.​

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
My guineas live with my chickens, they free range all day and go back to the coop at night.

 

[cackler]

I have 6 guineas that are just over a year old that were raised by and live with chickens. I have 4 keets that are 4 weeks old in the brooder. I'm thinking I'll put them in the coop in a pen when they are 6 weeks old, leave them in the pen inside the coop for 6 more weeks so they can see everyone else coming and going and then when they are 12 weeks old, open the door to the little pen and let them go outside on their own. Boy I hope that works.

All of my chickens and the older guineas go in the coop every night and free range all over the farm during the day.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
That's great!

I think it's better to raise the keets in the coop they're going to be in so when they're older they don't have to be coopedup for 6 wks.

My 4 Lavender keets finally got all their wing feathers in and they're flying all over the yard!

I'm hopeing they'll be able to fly into the hutch now!

 

[cackler]

Mine are 4 weeks old and can JUMP like CRAZY! I am going to move them out soon - it gets down in the 40's here at night now - need to wait a bit longer to put them out with the big girls....

How can you tell when they get all of their feathers in? Mine are looking really feathered now.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
A picture might help.

 

[J3172]

The only thing I've ever had eat my guineas were owls!!! The local red tail doesn't mess with them and if he does he's not good at it. I had a buddy lose one once to a coyote, but they were poorly trained fowl, that had been over exposed to dogs. So I'd say as long as they are in for the night, I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[cackler]

We found the guinea nest 2 days ago with 11 eggs in it. Today she was setting - ready for the long haul - 11 eggs still in it. This is our first year with laying guineas. Is this typical? She has decided to sit when there were around 20 eggs all summer - with the weather getting cooler maybe this is it for the year?

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
Guineas are suppost to be really broody.

Alot of them I heard go broody pretty soon after they start laying.

So yes, I think it's typical.