Rehome existing flock + get new?

[Ribh]

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!

I think so. They are remarkably hardy & predator wary ~ more than my chooks are ~ & much more self~sufficient as well. Best of British.

 

[DoeAndGander]

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.

Good call! How exactly do I go about getting a few at a time outside? Stupid question but do I catch each one with a net and attempt to set it out. They are not domesticated at all. I’m guessing this is going to be a little tramatic for them

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Im human... life kind of got in the way.

I understand that... most of us here have had life get in the way. I meant no harm, and tried to help with the experience I do have.

 

[R2elk]

Good call! How exactly do I go about getting a few at a time outside? Stupid question but do I catch each one with a net and attempt to set it out. They are not domesticated at all. I’m guessing this is going to be a little traumatic for them

What I did and would do again is to open the door and move back out of the way and allow them to come out when they are ready. If they have not been out before, it may take awhile as they approach the open door with trepidation.

I did not worry about getting a few of them out at a time but just let them all have the ability to go outside at the same time. I did stay where I could herd them back if necessary.

Good luck.

 

[DoeAndGander]

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.

I hope it will be ingrained! I’m kind of kicking myself for putting the coop around so many extra tall trees. That’s an awesome neighbor. You’re lucky! I could never leave the coop opened at night. I have coyote, raccoon, fox, eagles, etc. day and night. I pretty much have everything beside bear and mountain lion to worry about.

 

[DoeAndGander]

I understand that... most of us here have had life get in the way. I meant no harm, and tried to help with the experience I do have.

Thank you for helping! I do appreciate it. I didn’t mean to come across as a snot. I pretty much dropped the ball. Out of all of my animals/poultry the guineas got the short end of the stick when life took off unfortunately. I get attached very easily and have made every effort to not get attached to them being I wasn’t sure how/if they would last here. Every animal I have is family... these are not domesticated one bit so it’s a little easier for me to let go I guess

 

[wyoDreamer]

I am in a rural area in Northeastern Wisconsin, surrounded by swamps, farmfields and woods. I have all those predators also, but the roosts are so high in the coop (think rafter high) that I don't worry about anything but bears getting them. And if a bear wanted in, it could easily go through the windows. I only close the door during winter if we have a big snowstorm coming - and that is too keep the snow out of the coop.

Actually, the neighbor who loves my guineas had a bear wander into their garage last fall and eat the birdseed and cat food she had in there, lol.

 

[DoeAndGander]

What I did and would do again is to open the door and move back out of the way and allow them to come out when they are ready. If they have not been out before, it may take awhile as they approach the open door with trepidation.

I did not worry about getting a few of them out at a time but just let them all have the ability to go outside at the same time. I did stay where I could herd them back if necessary.

Good luck.

I’ll give it a whirl! Going to try this evening. Thanks so much!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Can you put up some temporary fencing around the coop until they get used to going into the coop at night? I bought cheap deer netting with push in T posts and put around the coop for training. You would need to cover it. Guineas that haven’t been out much would probably respect even a poor fence until they get used to coming in at night, then you could remove the temporary fence...

 

[Ribh]

How did it go?