The feed store is selling babies....Oh no

[Whirlwind]

My feed store has guinea keets for sale. Only sold in sets of 3 or more. I would sure love to have some but don't know. Any thoughts on this. Would I keep them with the chickens after they get bigger?

 

[mdbucks]

If you gotta buy in three's I would say GET 6. Mine were started with chicks, and the whole group went into the coop together.

 

[speckledhen]

Just be advised that when the guineas are close to laying age, you may have a problem. Many people do not, but I had to rehome my four guineas, sadly. They were very tame ones, too, that I loved alot.
They were in the coop with the chickens from 4 weeks old and part of the flock for months.
My alpha male just suddenly one day out of the blue began attacking one of my RIR hens. Every time he saw her, he attacked. Then the rest of the guineas began attacking the other two RIR hens, and only the RIRs. When my hen began hiding in the nests all day, I locked up the guineas. In the two weeks they were in their own coop, I got a grown Barred Rock rooster. The guineas were only let out when the chickens were locked in the pen. After a month of quarantine, I integrated the rooster into the flock and a week later, let the guineas out. Dodger, my alpha guinea, started trying the rooster. Hawkeye handled Dodger alone just fine, then the other three started making coordinated strikes. Guineas do not fight like chickens, they do bodyslams from all sides and overwhelm the victim. When they ran my poor rooster into the woods, I finally put an ad on BST and a BYC member bought them. Dodger found out he wasn't the toughest guy in the barnyard when he met up with a goose and a turkey, LOL. So my guineas are doing well at her farm.
I will get guineas again, but I will allow a broody hen to hatch them and see if I have better results. I also have a much larger flock of chickens this time so maybe they'll be outnumbered. Maybe.
I love guineas and the ticks this year are awful! I want my guineas back!

 

[jackiedon]

I first had mine together in the brooder but they were a little too wild for my chicks. My husband asked me the other day what I was going to do with them once they are out of the brooder. Hmmm! not sure. My goats aren't cooperating in going into the new fenced in area to eat the underbrush.

No advice but we can figure it out together.

jackie

 

[Whirlwind]

Well I was wondering if I could put them with the chickens and now I am not so sure. Still thinking about it. It sure would be nice to have some tick control. All of the guineas I have ever seen wondered alot more than chickens anyone else noticed this?

 

[speckledhen]

Mine never did range far at all, but then, they left for a new home just before they laid their first egg. Guineas do have a range and a circuit they usually follow when they make their "bug rounds".
You may not have the problem I and some others did, but guineas are nothing like chickens. They don't think or act like them and I have heard some horror stories about guineas ganging up and actually killing roosters. I'd hate to see you miss out on owning them if it would work out with your chickens, though. I just didn't want you to go into it blindly; the only book really out there about guineas just does not address the aggression issue like it should, since it is promoting guineas.

 

[Katelyn]

My firend has guinea and she loves them they are so tame. They never were wild, like some are. I think it depends on the personality of the guineas. If you get some, just get the calmest ones.

Also she even has a few hybred walking around, boy are those things cool. I never new they can mix, but they can, although they are sterile. But anyways, if you do get some, I will be the first to get some chicken/guinea eggs from you. lol

I say go for it!!

 

[Whirlwind]

Thanks speckledhen for the good info. as I know nothing about guineas. Do they roost like chickens. Maybe I could build them a diff coop. My only roos are bantams so that could be a problem. I am still looking for you a powder puff. That was you wasnt it?

Katelyn you are so funny.

I guess if they still have some when I get back from MI. then that will be the sign I need to try it. I could always sell them if it doesnt work out.

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, and they like to roost as high as possible, too. They dont however, usually, like nestboxes. If you lean a piece of plywood against the wall on the floor and fix it where it can't fall, they will nest underneath it-guineas are by nature ground nesters. Oh, and yep, it was me looking for powder puffs, LOL. Thank you! I saw some on Ebay, thanks to Wolfpacker, but I have never used Ebay, at least so far.
Here's a pic of my sweet Charlotte before she left here trying out the nest area and other pics of my Fearsome Foursome:

 

[Whirlwind]

Love the pics speckledhen. Sorry they had to go. I sure wouldnt want my chickens getting attacked either.