Rehome existing flock + get new?

[DoeAndGander]

OK guys! Have I lost my mind?! I’m considering getting rid of my guinea fowl and getting new flock. **I realize this may not be a big issue to some but I have a never rehomed, or killed a living soul within my care... or had an inkling to**
Flock of 9. They were born May 30 of 2018. I didn’t have my stuff in one sock and they stayed in the brooder way too long (I didn’t have coop ready), ran into winter, still cooped up and they have yet to be free ranged or outside. The only thing they have going for them is they know the treat bell & call. I was going to try free ranging them very soon being that it is the beginning of spring... But then I got to thinking. Should I rehome this flock (who has been penned up for almost a year now) and get fresh new flock that I can train young and hopefully would be low maintenance with proper training. The main reason for existing flock was tick and bug control.

Any help or insight is appreciated!

 

[R2elk]

OK guys! Have I lost my mind?! I’m considering getting rid of my guinea fowl and getting new flock. **I realize this may not be a big issue to some but I have a never rehomed, or killed a living soul within my care... or had an inkling to**
Flock of 9. They were born May 30 of 2018. I didn’t have my stuff in one sock and they stayed in the brooder way too long (I didn’t have coop ready), ran into winter, still cooped up and they have yet to be free ranged or outside. The only thing they have going for them is they know the treat bell & call. I was going to try free ranging them very soon being that it is the beginning of spring... But then I got to thinking. Should I rehome this flock (who has been penned up for almost a year now) and get fresh new flock that I can train young and hopefully would be low maintenance with proper training. The main reason for existing flock was tick and bug control.

Any help or insight is appreciated!

You are just coming into the time when they may be useful for tick and bug control. If you start all over, you will be another year behind.

Try letting them roam the area that needs the bugs taken care of and see how it goes. You can always sell them later if you decide against keeping them.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I don't know guineas, but chickens who already know where their home is free range near by. Why not let these guys out and see how it goes? If you're ready to lock them back up before they return to the coop... use your treat bell and call them back.

Why get another flock if you can't provide for this one in the way you would like? No judgement, just a sincere question. To me, raising them is the hard part. I far prefer adult birds over teens or youngsters, they are more self sufficient and with less attitude. Maybe just don't beat yourself up over how things didn't unfold... and provide the best life you can, going forward?

 

[DoeAndGander]

You are just coming into the time when they may be useful for tick and bug control. If you start all over, you will be another year behind.

Try letting them roam the area that needs the bugs taken care of and see how it goes. You can always sell them later if you decide against keeping them.

That’s exactly what sparked this thought! If I have troubles training them, I will be without a flock for fall when the ticks are horrible here. would you recommend letting them out in a run for a certain amount of time before letting a couple out at a time?

 

[DoeAndGander]

I don't know guineas, but chickens who already know where their home is free range near by. Why not let these guys out and see how it goes? If you're ready to lock them back up before they return to the coop... use your treat bell and call them back.

Why get another flock if you can't provide for this one in the way you would like? No judgement, just a sincere question. To me, raising them is the hard part. I far prefer adult birds over teens or youngsters, they are more self sufficient and with less attitude. Maybe just don't beat yourself up over how things didn't unfold... and provide the best life you can, going forward?

The only thing Guineas and chickens have in common is they have feathers, make noise, lay eggs and taste good. You don’t just let them out and they return at sunset... if it were that easy I wouldn’t have a problem. I didn’t have a coop/home base established for them as soon as I’d like. Im human... life kind of got in the way.

 

[Ribh]

I don't keep guineas but neighbours do & my understanding is that if they are raised in a certain area that is *home* & they will stay in their home territory. They are foragers by nature & if they will come for a treat I think you could safely let them out & call them when you wanted them to return. Why not try & see how it goes?

 

[R2elk]

That’s exactly what sparked this thought! If I have troubles training them, I will be without a flock for fall when the ticks are horrible here. would you recommend letting them out in a run for a certain amount of time before letting a couple out at a time?

To begin, I would only let them out while you can be there to supervise them. When I started with mine, they got out for a couple of hours at a time which got lengthened as I began to trust them. Carry a couple of long sticks to gently herd them where you want them to go. Go slowly and patiently. Do not run after them.

There is still plenty of time to get new keets and start over if you want to since most places in the northern hemisphere do not even have their guineas laying eggs yet. My guineas will probably start laying late in April.

 

[wyoDreamer]

I would let them free range and see what happens. I don't think they will run away from home, lol. Their coop (home base) will be pretty well ingrained in them by now.

My guinea hens are starting to get old - I have had them for almost 5 years, and they came with the place. They are free-range all the time and I hardly ever close the door to their coop. But with getting old, they are getting lazy also. They no longer go to the neighbors to visit - she asked if I still had them because she was missing them at her bird feeder. She puts sunflower seeds on the ground for them, lol.

 

[DoeAndGander]

I don't keep guineas but neighbours do & my understanding is that if they are raised in a certain area that is *home* & they will stay in their home territory. They are foragers by nature & if they will come for a treat I think you could safely let them out & call them when you wanted them to return. Why not try & see how it goes?

I think I will! Thanks. I guess I was over thinking supplying lunch for my local predators rather than them working for me. Worth a shot!

 

[R2elk]

I don't know guineas, but chickens who already know where their home is free range near by. Why not let these guys out and see how it goes? If you're ready to lock them back up before they return to the coop... use your treat bell and call them back.

Why get another flock if you can't provide for this one in the way you would like? No judgement, just a sincere question. To me, raising them is the hard part. I far prefer adult birds over teens or youngsters, they are more self sufficient and with less attitude. Maybe just don't beat yourself up over how things didn't unfold... and provide the best life you can, going forward?

With chickens it can be beneficial to get started pullets. With guineas, starting with adults can be very challenging. What normally happens when people start with adult guineas is that they bring them home, turn them loose and then wonder why the guineas left. It can take 6 weeks or longer to convince adult guineas that their new location is home and that they should stick around.