What Age Do You Let Guineas Out?

[Junkybird]

I have 6 guineas that are about ten weeks old. They have been in the coop with the chickens for quite some time now. I just recently started letting them out of their dog crate in with the rest and out to the pen. I just figured that they would go in at night to roost.

Well, last night I went out to shut everybody up and the guineas were out in then pen huddled against the coop. All the chickens and ducks were almost asleep! I had to shoo them in the coop! Are they just stupid, or are they just not going to roost? I figured since they have been in the coop for so long they would automatically know to go in at night to roost. Do I have to train them? Shoo them in every night?

I want them to learn to come back to the coop/pen at night when I start letting them out to forage/free range. This is my "main" question. At what age should I let them out to free range? Have they been in the coop/pen long enough, or should I make them stay in longer to make sure that they know the coop is where they go at night?

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Make absolute sure your chickens are not forcing your Guineas into a corner in the coop. They may be more secure outside than inside.

Your babies are still a bit young to fend for themselves.

 

[undermywings]

I agree with rimshoes, a bit young. Mine are 12 weeks old and we let them out with the pullets about an hour in the evening. We feed them treats when they are herded back in. That might train them to come back if they ever get out on their own.
Hold back the feed till evening.

 

[obe10]

i let mine out to forage daily and by ten weeks my guineas followed the other fowl back in the coop. the chickens trained them! but some nights they flew to the top of the pine trees so we clipped there wings for a while but we haven't done it in about a year i think they forgot how to fly! lol

anyway mine have always gone in the nest box to sleep although i have perches outside that some of my chickens roost on, but my guineas prefer nest boxes. i don't know

but i agree with rimshoes make sure the chickens are not bullying them

 

[txchickie]

Mine returned to the coop at night until they were about 4 months old and then they took to the trees at night and have never been back to the coop again.

Also, don't let them all out together. Keep over half of them (Depending on how many you have) in the coop and the others will return to them until they "get it".

 

[Junkybird]

Update: Last night I went to close the coop and all the guineas were in the coop! Yay! I don't know what happened the first night. Guess it just took a day or so. So, I guess that the chickens are letting them in after all and not being bullies.

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
Yes, they are just too stupid to realize the coop is much safer then a tree. I had to raise keets and chicks together before they would roost in the Coop, even then I would occasionally have one prefer a tree for a few nights until a predator got em.

 

[CrazyFowlFreak]

I should have read this thread first. I let mu guineas out on Friday. With access to their pen with food, water, and shelter. They came and went as they pleased and things were cool. Until tonight, I came home to find one of my 7 guineas perched in the pen. Alone. Guineas are never left alone~! Major panic! I catch the lone guinea and take it into the house to show DH. He was carrying kids to bed when we first came in. I cannot find them anywhere! Not a feather. It's weird. The one I was carrying squirms a little and I look down to hush it and realize that it's bleeding. I rush him into the bathroom and yell for DH. We look him over and finally find the wound. It's under the wing, on the skinny bone. A bite mark/slash type mark that is 2in long and about 1/8th in wide.

Don't put your's out yet.