The Great Guinnea Debate/Pros and cons.

[speckledhen]

I love guineas. Goofy, silly things, always entertaining. Yes, very loud, constantly when they are younger.
Negatives: They can be very aggressive to chickens. That's why I no longer have mine. They will attack in coordinated strikes, from all sides, doing bodyslams to their intended victim. I had very tame, sweet guineas...till my alpha male attacked one particular RIR hen and it got worse, then they attacked my rooster. Search in this section for posts by me to read the story of Dodger and my RIRs.

 

[Jaybr]

How many do you want? I put 13 eggs in the bator yesterday and only want to keep 5 or 6 of the keets. As this is my first attempt at hatching, I'll give away any extra keets I end up with.

I got assorted color eggs from a local girl, could end up with any of the following colors: Brown, Chocolate, White, Slate, Violet, Powder Blue

 

[suebee]

Speckledhen,

Thanks for your input. I'm in NC and have Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever right now. I was considering getting some guinea's to reduce the tick population but unsure now since I only have sweet, docile Silkies and only one coop. If they attacked my silkies I'd go ballistic. Darn. I wanted some guineas.

 

[ozark hen]

I have four, two hens and two males. They aren't as loud when you don't have as many. I have no ticks here now. They usually roost with the chickens in the coop but now seem to be later and later wanting to go in but I quit waiting on them as we get up very early and lock up at dusk. so they roost with the ducks who also prefer to stay out in the yard at night.

Anytime my dh works in the yard on some machinery they come running...being nosey and want to discuss it with him.

I also have silkies and they have never hurt any of my chickens. Now they have chased chooks away from the food when they are eating but the older hens do that too.

 

[CritterHill]

I've been thinking about guineas as well since my daughter was just diagnosed with Lyme. I can see them eating wood ticks or dog ticks, but would they also eat deer ticks? I can't imagine they could even see them since the tick itself is so TINY!

 

[SterlingAcres]

I plan on getting a few quineas myself. We'll have a little over 3 acres that I want them to roam, but we're also near a road and have a neighbor across the street with a little yorkie pup (old man). What are the chances they'd cross the road and wander around his property? I don't want to cause any issues with wandering fowl. How many would you recommend for the area? My grandfather free ranged 30+ chickens and a dozen guineas and never had problems with them fighting... but did lose a few to hawks and minks.

 

[mangled]

We had a guinea hen come out of our woods one day, and she has adopted us, for whatever reason.

She isn't much of a bother, but she tends to be extremely irritated about my yard work sometimes. She'll orbit around me, just raising holy cain until I get irritated enough to shoo her off.

She HATES our dog, and he is terrified of her. We have a 70 pound boxer and she'll run him off in nothing flat. He trips over himself getting away from her.

We eat her eggs, she leaves us a nice little guinea egg in the coop every day.

With that said, we have the girls penned right now, and she's banned from the run while they're penned up. She is absolutely *terrible* to the smaller pullets and hens low on the pecking order. She attacks relelntlessly, for no real reason.
But, while free-ranging, she leaves everyone along.

Good luck with whatever you decide. I wouldn't have another, but since she adopted *us* we'll let her live her life out in peace.

Em

 

[suebee]

Quote:
LOL about dh and discussion! Awww Ozark, now I'm torn since they didn't get your silkies...but sometimes I don't open the coop up until 10am on the weekends.

 

[suebee]

ShellieESterling, I'm kinda in the same situation, 3 acres but what if they cross the road? We live down a path but I've read posts saying they can travel 1/4 mile.

 

[CritterHill]

On second thought, guineas wouldn't work here. We do have 7 and a half acres, but it is surrounded by gamelands. If these birds do like to travel that much, there is no WAY I could keep them from being shot by hunters in the fall.

Bright orange collars and bells on guinea hens?