Will my Guinea stay?

[Riverstone]

We raised 4 (2 males, 2 females) 2-day-old keets and they're almost 11 months old now. The other day one of the females died...the dominant male now keeps the other male away from the remaining female. I've seen the three of them still free-range and perch together, but it's clear that the 2nd male is alone and lonely. Will he leave? We also have 6 pullets. Will he stick around because of them? Or should I consider getting 2 more guinea keets and hoping that at least one of them will be a female?

 

[PeepsCA]

The lone male will tag along with/behind the other 2, it sounds like he knows his place in the pecking order since he is still free ranging near them. Getting more keets will give (hopefully) him a mate for next season, but it's not going to do much for him this season... and the 3 older Guineas may not be very accepting of just 2 new additions right now during breeding season, so you'd need to wait until late Fall/early Winter to try to integrate new birds. I doubt the lone male will run off, but the Alpha male may keep him at a distance. Guineas do much better in flocks of 10 or more (of their own kind)... so if you do decide to get some keets, I'd consider getting more than just 2.

I would not put the extra male Guinea in with your pullets during breeding season, that may not work out so well for the pullets...

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[Riverstone]

Thanks for your reply PeepsCA! My pullets are kept separate and not free-ranging yet, and once they're older they will be in a coop separate from the guinea coop. And my main reason for keeping the guinea population down is simply just because of the noise level. Ideally I'd like 5 or 6 females with my 2 males. This is my first time with guineas (almost a year now) and chickens (only 2 months). I've always read that they get along well free-ranging...does that change during breeding season?

 

[PeepsCA]

I understand the noise issue, and the reasoning behind wanting a smaller flock... but smaller flocks of Guineas, in a situation where other poultry are kept on the same property doesn't always work out. Some have no issues, some have nothing but issues. Every situation is different, but it's always a good idea to go into raising/keeping Guineas with your eyes wide open.

That being said, yes they can get along fine when free ranging if they've had plenty of side by side (separated by wires) exposure... but male Guineas tend to lose their minds when their hormones flair during breeding season. Not all do it, but it's a common complaint, especially with just small flocks of Guineas. The more Guineas you have the more focused they stay on each other, and then they leave the chickens alone (... usually).

Sometimes if they aren't exposed to each other enough before they are free ranged together the Guineas will see the chickens as "newbies" or threats to their flock and pecking order and won't accept them at all, ever... and so you may end up needing to free range everybody at separate times, at least during the breeding season.