When can I release these guineas to my garden

[KaleDaDuck]

Hello everyone, I have 5 Guineas that has been to this cage for about 2 weeks in not sure how old are they but how much should I wait till I release them outside the cage.. Because there are wild chickens that enter our garden..

Thanks. —Kale

 

[MeginTennessee]

I used to have guineas and they were very hardy birds as adults but I learned the keets need a bit of looking after until they at least are feathered out. Yours are still babies, they wouldn't be able to fend for themselves yet. If it's warm enough and your wanting to let them get used to outside, fix them up with a small fenced in space with a cover so they can't jump out and nothing else can jump in. I used an old playpen turned upside down so they were on the grass to scratch about but they were protected and it was easy to move it to a clean spot every day. I gradually moved them onto the fenced in chicken yard so they could start getting used to the rest of the flock and vice versa. Eventually I cut a hole in it and they were able to go out with the big birds but could hide back under the pen if they needed to. When they started roosting in the coop with everyone else I took out the pen. They did fine at that point, when they got full grown they started flying right over the fence and were happy being wild. Guineas are funny creatures, they're very loud(we don't have neighbors so that wasn't a problem here) and they can be territorial. Mine got to where they chased and sometimes attacked anything they felt was intruding- snakes, possums, wild birds, even cars and tractors. Unfortunately it was them chasing cars that did them in. They're lots of fun though so best of luck with them! Maybe someone else can give you some more ideas and you'll be able to find what works best for your situation!

 

[KaleDaDuck]

I used to have guineas and they were very hardy birds as adults but I learned the keets need a bit of looking after until they at least are feathered out. Yours are still babies, they wouldn't be able to fend for themselves yet. If it's warm enough and your wanting to let them get used to outside, fix them up with a small fenced in space with a cover so they can't jump out and nothing else can jump in. I used an old playpen turned upside down so they were on the grass to scratch about but they were protected and it was easy to move it to a clean spot every day. I gradually moved them onto the fenced in chicken yard so they could start getting used to the rest of the flock and vice versa. Eventually I cut a hole in it and they were able to go out with the big birds but could hide back under the pen if they needed to. When they started roosting in the coop with everyone else I took out the pen. They did fine at that point, when they got full grown they started flying right over the fence and were happy being wild. Guineas are funny creatures, they're very loud(we don't have neighbors so that wasn't a problem here) and they can be territorial. Mine got to where they chased and sometimes attacked anything they felt was intruding- snakes, possums, wild birds, even cars and tractors. Unfortunately it was them chasing cars that did them in. They're lots of fun though so best of luck with them! Maybe someone else can give you some more ideas and you'll be able to find what works best for your situation!

Ok thank you it's about 36 degress outside but unfortunately I don't have a co-op can I keep them in their cage?

 

[MeginTennessee]

I would definitely keep them in the cage for now, they look like they're barely a month old, much too little to be running loose outside. Are you planning on letting them free range all the time then? I see the little chicken in the one picture, did you plan on making a coop in the future for them? I don't know what type of area you live in, but even in urban areas they'll be vulnerable to predators-neighbor cats, dogs, raccoons, etc. I'd at least plan on a sturdy house they'd be safe in at night when they do get old enough to go out! Im not sure how to paste links yet but I'm sure there's many forums on here that can give you lots of great info on raising guineas!

 

[KaleDaDuck]

I would definitely keep them in the cage for now, they look like they're barely a month old, much too little to be running loose outside. Are you planning on letting them free range all the time then? I see the little chicken in the one picture, did you plan on making a coop in the future for them? I don't know what type of area you live in, but even in urban areas they'll be vulnerable to predators-neighbor cats, dogs, raccoons, etc. I'd at least plan on a sturdy house they'd be safe in at night when they do get old enough to go out! Im not sure how to paste links yet but I'm sure there's many forums on here that can give you lots of great info on raising guineas!

Ok let's say they grow up for about 5 months would that be enough? And can I release the baby chick you mentioned?

 

[MeginTennessee]

You don't need to wait that long, just until they get all feathered out, maybe another month. But I REALLY recommend you have some type of enclosure to at least start them in so they have a safe spot and get to know where home is or they're likely to wander off and not come back. I'll take a picture of the "nursery" cage I use now. It's nothing fancy, just a small cage that I can lock up at night and an attached homemade fence(wire greenhouse shelves tied together with plastic mesh netting around the whole thing and a piece of the net to go over the top when I need to keep everyone from flying out) It's easy to move around and it gives babies a safe place to get used to outside. When they're ready to start exploring I open the top so they can fly in and out. Then I move the whole thing to the fenced in yard with the coop when they stay getting to big for it. It's worked out great for my chickens and ducks(even the bunnies) and if I'd had it when i had my guineas, they'd have been in it too. I have a mama duck and her new ducklings in it right now. Guineas aren't like chickens when it comes to going back to the coop at dusk every night unless you train them to know that's home, and even then there's no guarantee they won't decide to fly up into a tree for the night. They pretty much do whatever they want, so just keep that in mind. Is there only the one chicken? Its definitely going to need some kind of little house to roost in at night, even free ranging. My advice is the same for it, as long as it's feathered out and is warm enough, it can start getting used to being outside in an enclosure, same add the guineas. Remember the chick isn't half wild like the guineas so keep an extra eye on it when it starts exploring on its own!

 

[MeginTennessee]

Getting Started With Guinea Fowl | BackYard Chickens
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/getting-started-with-guinea-fowl.67472

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/getting-started-with-guinea-fowl.67472

I'm not sure if I did that link right at all. I did a search for Guinea care and this was one out of many great articles here on BYC with lots of good info on guineas, including when you can start letting them out. If the link didn't work try copying it and pasting it into the search box!