Six Week Confinement -Does This Include A Covered Run?

[MTerry]

I know the guineas are supposed to be confined for at least 6 weeks before they free range, going back to the coop at night. I am fencing in a small area attached to my coop, and it will have the top covered. During the 6 weeks confinement can I let them out in this covered fenced area?

 

[JLeigh]

How old are they? Keets have different requirements than adults. But it's my opinion that runs should always be covered to prevent rain from soaking them. Also, guineas can fly out and predators can fly in.

 

[MTerry]

I will be putting them in the coop with fence at 6 weeks old. I will just let them out in the fence during the day, and put them in the coop at night. The fenced area is covered on the top, with chicken wire, and we plan to put greenhouse vinyl or a tarp over the top, for the sun and weather. There are no other animals in the coop, it will just be the guineas.

 

[JLeigh]

Sounds like a good plan.

If you eventually plan to free-range, many suggest you let them out for a short time at first, supervised (it's what I did and it works very well), and then brought back into the pen/coop. Add onto the time a little each day so they get the idea that they're supposed to come back every day. It doesn't take long - about a week, maybe two. It's good insurance against night predators.

 

[MTerry]

Thank you, yes we have night predators, just the other night we heard a pack of coyotes going thru. We have been on this property for 20 years and just in the last year late at night we have been hearing them get closer and closer. We are working on a larger fenced area to keep the deer out of the garden and let the dog run, the coop will be inside of that when we finish.

 

[JLeigh]

With coyotes running around, I'd definitely get the guineas into the coop every night. If you train them, they'll (mostly) come back to it at dusk. Some evenings mine seem to be reluctant to go in themselves, and I "herd" them in. Once predators have learned that you have dinner, they'll come back night after night. Guineas are blind at night, so make sure you round them up at dusk if they haven't gone back to the coop themselves, that is if you plan to free-range. If not, then "never mind". Although I wonder if a coyote can breach a fence...dunno. Someone else may have experience with that.

Is your dog trustworthy with the guineas? If you haven't checked that out, you might want to do so. If trained to not eat chickens or guineas, dogs can be great defenders against predators, but dogs are on the predator list - even your own if not trained.

 

[livenwpeeps]

Yes, this includes the run as long as it is a safe run.