Tell me everything about Guineas.

[Smartie_Pants]

I am really starting to like the looks of them now. Here are my questions:

1. Can they be housed in the same pen as my ducks and chickens? Everyone free ranges all day and is put up at night.

2. Will they easily learn to go into the pen at night like the chickens?

3. I don't have that many pests. But ticks and turkey mites are TERRIBLE here. Can they help control both?

4. I know they can be loud, but do they only do it when upset or is it like peacocks that talk all the time?

5. Can they eat the same food as my chickens and ducks? (Layer feed with a dash of scratch mixed in in the cool months.) I have no way to seperate them to feed.

 

[FloridaChickenChick]

Girl, your picture looks alot like my daughter and your post title is EXACTLY what I came in here to ask about!

 

[kinnip]

You can house them with other fowl. They do take longer to home than chickens, and there are no promises that it will work at all. I have a pair of 6 m.o.s I'm still working on.

I don't know about turkey mites, but they'll eat the ticks and even a few noseeums. Mine aren't as loud as everyone made them out to be. They make an awful noise when they see something they haven't seen before, but once they learn it's normal they shut up. Obviously, this means they'll get quieter as they get older. They do need more protein than chickens, especially during the homing period when bugs are scarce. I give all of my birds Purina Flock Raiser and it seems to be working fine. I also give them bugs from the garden or the bait shop. I do give a little bit of scratch, so they won't be bored. This site has some good resources.

 

[Smartie_Pants]

Quote:
LOL! Weird!

 

[speckledhen]

They are awesome at controlling ticks and yellow jackets. They are LOUD, LOUD, LOUD, but I didnt mind that when I had them. They are not here now because of a grudge my alpha male held against one of the RIR hens, which progressed to all four of my guineas hating all of my red chickens. It was bloody for awhile. Mine were very tame, as many BYCers will tell you, but guineas are NOTHING like chickens. Mine did live with them for months before suddenly, my alpha male bodyslammed my hen and it was war from then on. And then they started on my new rooster and I made a tough choice.
They must be cooped up for a month or so to imprint on their new home if you get semi grown or grown ones.

 

[chickmamawannabe]

Go to this website:
http://www.guineafowl.com/fritsfarm/guineas/#pictures
You should find answers to all your questions here.

 

[Smartie_Pants]

Quote:
If I got some, they would most likely me chicks. However if I needed to keep them penned I could just take them up to the barn and keep them in the big goat pen up there. Tons of room to roam and they would know where home was.

Thanks for all the info guys!

 

[chickensista]

Hi,
My guinea-chicken housing experience wasn't great. When the guineas were younger they followed along and stayed outta the way. For me they automatically went into the coop to roost. Maybe cause there were only 2 and they wanted to be with a flock? (Most people advise keeping them locked in the coop for weeks to learn where to roost). Once they got some size they started bullying my girls - specifically the yellow and brown hens. They left the black and black/white hens alone. Interesting. Anyway, I processed them last weekend with 2 roos that were causing trouble. The body slam to my BO was the last straw.

If I had a large area for them to roam by themselves I would get them again. They are comical to watch. I only had 2, but they could be very noisy. With more than that, I could see how things could get crazy. I don't know how well they did with ticks and other bugs. I do know they turned their noses up at superworms I gave them.

They ate the same layer ration as my hens and loved scratch.

Have fun if you get them!

 

[derby]

My neighbors' were always in my yard at my old house. They came to feast on our ticks. And they were LOUD most of the time! But it's fun to watch city slickers drive off the road when they see those weird looking birds!

Derby

 

[feathersgalore]

My guineas and chickens get along well because they free range during the day. The guineas need at least 6 weeks locked up in the coop to learn to come in at night and even after that time it might be a few weeks longer refresher. They do a great job controlling ticks and japanese beetles. They do roam a wider area than chickens. They are very loud their first year when so many things are new, after that they do get quieter (especially the males). Enjoy them (I do)!