Will my Guinea Fowl come back?

[johnbuster]

I've been keeping my 3 Guinea Fowl in an outdoor cage which I built for about 6 weeks now, I know that this is the recommended time to keep them inside but I was wondering if I actually needed a coop for them or if the cage will do

 

[My2butterflies]

Hello and welcome

A few questions, What do you mean when you say cage? Any pictures?
Is there an area that provides shelter from rain and wind?
Knowing your location would also be helpful.
Any plans to get more? Guineas do best in bigger groups, 10+.

Without more information I’d say it’s likely they will keep coming back to the cage once let out.
You can slowly release one at a time over the next week so they don’t travel far. Example: day 1-2 let out only one guinea. Day 3-4 let out two guineas. By day 5 you could let them all out with supervision. Herding them back towards the cage if they go farther then you want them to. And just keep that up for a few weeks.

If you are consistent they are very easy to train.

 

[R2elk]

I've been keeping my 3 Guinea Fowl in an outdoor cage which I built for about 6 weeks now, I know that this is the recommended time to keep them inside but I was wondering if I actually needed a coop for them or if the cage will do

Failure to provide a secure roosting area (secure coop) will probably mean that your guineas will have a short life span. Guineas are very vulnerable to predators at night.

Guineas are a flock bird and do best in large groups. Having only 3 guineas will not allow them to have proper flock dynamics. They will be much more vulnerable to predators at all times without a flock to protect them.

 

[Jabebee13]

Hello and welcome

A few questions, What do you mean when you say cage? Any pictures?
Is there an area that provides shelter from rain and wind?
Knowing your location would also be helpful.
Any plans to get more? Guineas do best in bigger groups, 10+.

Without more information I’d say it’s likely they will keep coming back to the cage once let out.
You can slowly release one at a time over the next week so they don’t travel far. Example: day 1-2 let out only one guinea. Day 3-4 let out two guineas. By day 5 you could let them all out with supervision. Herding them back towards the cage if they go farther then you want them to. And just keep that up for a few weeks.

If you are consistent they are very easy to train.

I have raised 6 guineas. They do good. I never mixed guinea ages. It would be fun and interesting.

 

[Jabebee13]

No I have 12 so I threw a fist in the air in congrats. To myself.

 

[BuckwheatandClucks]

In addition to keeping our guineas in the coop for 6 weeks, we bell trained them. We ring a cow bell (initially at their coop) and they run/fly home. We give them a small amount of white millet or dried worms. We started training them around 4 weeks old. Now if we see them getting too far from home, we just ring the bell and they immediately return. This is our guinea coop. We have a caged part, 2 covered areas, and a tall part. There are perches in all the sections. They sleep in the tall area. This gives them protection from predators. They like the caged area before we let them out for the day but I have never seen them choose to sleep there.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

In addition to keeping our guineas in the coop for 6 weeks, we bell trained them. We ring a cow bell (initially at their coop) and they run/fly home. We give them a small amount of white millet or dried worms. We started training them around 4 weeks old. Now if we see them getting too far from home, we just ring the bell and they immediately return. This is our guinea coop. We have a caged part, 2 covered areas, and a tall part. There are perches in all the sections. They sleep in the tall area. This gives them protection from predators. They like the caged area before we let them out for the day but I have never seen them choose to sleep there.

Wow! I love your setup!I need to make a run on a hill fir mine and it’s really making me anxious just looking at that hill! Your flat grassy area is so nice.

 

[My2butterflies]

In addition to keeping our guineas in the coop for 6 weeks, we bell trained them. We ring a cow bell (initially at their coop) and they run/fly home. We give them a small amount of white millet or dried worms. We started training them around 4 weeks old. Now if we see them getting too far from home, we just ring the bell and they immediately return. This is our guinea coop. We have a caged part, 2 covered areas, and a tall part. There are perches in all the sections. They sleep in the tall area. This gives them protection from predators. They like the caged area before we let them out for the day but I have never seen them choose to sleep there.

I love the bell idea!
I might have to retrain mine. Right now I yell to get them to come running/flying. Lol A bell would spare my voice.

 

[Sydney65]

In addition to keeping our guineas in the coop for 6 weeks, we bell trained them. We ring a cow bell (initially at their coop) and they run/fly home. We give them a small amount of white millet or dried worms. We started training them around 4 weeks old. Now if we see them getting too far from home, we just ring the bell and they immediately return. This is our guinea coop. We have a caged part, 2 covered areas, and a tall part. There are perches in all the sections. They sleep in the tall area. This gives them protection from predators. They like the caged area before we let them out for the day but I have never seen them choose to sleep there.

Nice! Although I have to admit, I kind of choked back a sob when I saw all the green. So ready for spring...not that we have much of that these days. Seems to go from freezing to super hot in a week. For now, I entertain myself by planning the year's garden on graph paper.

 

[R2elk]

I love the bell idea!
I might have to retrain mine. Right now I yell to get them to come running/flying. Lol A bell would spare my voice.

One BYC member trained his guineas to come to his ring tone.