What is a good price to pay?

[Lollipop]

Thanks peepsca!!, you have been realy helpfull!, but I dont know how well it would be with them free ranging the whole 40 acres, would they come back every night or would they go and sleep in the trees even if I keep them locked up for 6 weeks or more (the last ones I had I keept locked up for around 3 months and they never came back) so I am a littel woried about that.

I got a suggestion for ya. When you decide it's time to let them out, just let about half of them out. That should convince the free ones to stay close. Do this for a week or so, then they all should be fine............Pop

 

[PeepsCA]

Well you'll need to start working with them while they are penned before you let them out... but the main key to re-programming adult birds to a new coop/run/home really is keeping them penned long enough for them to forget their old routine and habits, so try to stick with the 6 wks if you can. It's a good idea to always make the same call over and over when you feed/water/treat your birds, so they learn that call means food, and they get used to you and know that you are the food goddess... lol. You want them happy to see you, and meeting you at the gate to see what you are bringing them.

When I finally let my birds out I start with just short outings at first, in the late afternoons/early evenings (while I am out there babysitting them so they don't wander too far) and I herd them back in/call them in for food when it's the feeding time/coop-up time (you may need a calm helper for a while). It helps to let them out hungry, so I start taking away their feed around noon (if I am going to let them out that day), that way they want to come back in and eat (I also shut the pen after they've wandered out, so they can't come and go as they please and eat all day). I make a routine of all this and try to consistently get them in at the same time each evening for a while (when the sun is going down helps visually cue their little brains that it's time for bed), until they learn they have to go in each night, no ifs ands or buts about it. Once you have a routine established with them it won't take so much time and energy, but it's best if YOU establish the routine for them, instead of letting them establish their own (like roosting in the trees). Like Pop mentioned, it might help if you only let a couple out at a time at first, and leave a few in the coop/pen so the loose birds want to stay close. Some have pretty good luck with that method. If it's a fiasco the first time you let them out, you may want to wait a couple more weeks before trying again...

Guineas wander, they don't always stick close to home, so unless you are babysitting them/herding them back to the coop/run area the entire time they are out they will most likely cover the 40 acres all on their own, eventually (and maybe even farther, lol).

 

[poultry09]

Thank you so much both of you, I am realy excited I just got an e-mail from someone that has 5 more guineas for sale at $10 each and thier is 4 females and one male both pied and lavenders that will be a year old in june!!! I will have my flock of 10 guineas complete very soon!! if I get the guineas from two different places how should I entroduce the two flocks together?

thanks for all the help!

 

[PeepsCA]

Housing them side by side for a few weeks (separated by wire) until you don't see any aggression going on thru the wire is usually the best way to integrate adults, but you might get to skip that step if you get them at the same time... because they will all be in a new, unfamiliar place so they might blend together for security/comfort (major emphasis on might). It could go the other way just as easily tho, because some birds get really defensive/aggressive when scared. It really depends on the birds, some are more easy going some are just mean hellions.

If you aren't getting them all at the same time, the ones already in the coop first will most likely be territorial and agressive towards the new batch. You can usually get an idea of the aggression level if you put the cage of new birds in the coop for a while first before you let them loose... if it gets ugly right away it's probably a better idea to separate them by wire for a few weeks rather than turn them loose and let them work it out (typically they don't work it out and you could end up with bloody or dead birds). It's hard to say what will work best for you because every bird is different, so you will just have to see how it goes once you have them.

If you get an injured bird the others may cannibalize it because Guineas are attracted to blood, so be on the look out for blood and too much aggression. Blu-Kote is a good antiseptic med to use on wounds, it stains everything dark purple (use gloves!) and hides the blood really well, which helps keep the other birds from constantly being attracted to and pecking at the blood making it worse or even killing the injured bird. It's sold at most feed/farm stores that sell meds for horses and livestock. You can find usually it in spray can or in a bottle with a dobber.

 

[poultry09]

Here are some pictures of the guineas I will be getting, How do they look?

 

[PeepsCA]

I dunno, the pics didn't come thru

 

[poultry09]

how about now?

 

[PeepsCA]

I see 1 small pic, but they look healthy as far as I can see. I love Pieds! Looks like a Hen and a male.