Will my guineas and adult chickens get along?

[Patwingfield2]

I have 6 chickens that are 4 months old. I bought 2 guineas that are now 6 weeks old. The chickens are free ranging in the day. I let one of the chickens in the guinea pen and she acted like she wanted to kill it. Will the chickens and guineas ever get along with each other?

 

[undermywings]

This year, we raised 12 new pullets to 4 mos old so far, in another area we raised 3 bantam pullets and 1 bantam roo with 2 keets all the same age of 3 mos old so far. We also have a sumatra and a very old couple of 12 years.

We built an aviary in the chicken run to house the keets and have the bantams in with them till we finish their home. So everyone knows everyone.

The bantams and keets are VERY VERY close with each other; the keets think the bantams are part of their flock and the bantams think the keets are mom and dad.

We started letting the keets and bantams out to socialize for about an hour in the evening with the pullets during freerange time and things went ok until the pullets started to pick on the bantams, mostly the roo. The keets defended their 'flock' and went after the pullets, only chasing not pecking, but their weight and size are no match for the pullets. The roo went after our only sumatra like a cat on a mouse.

It is an interesting community we have. The dynamics of our chicken yard are like that of a school yard. There are bullies and geeks, our female duck is definately the proctor we nicknamed "Yard Boss", our old old hen is the Teacher (mess with me and I'll teach you a lesson"), our old old roo and our young bantam roo are "gangstas" looking for a fight over turf, the bantam girls are like kindergarteners who are not street smart but sweet and cute, some of the 'girls' are snobs, some are wallflowers, some are special needs......

I think guineas and chickens get along great with each other if they are raised together from the start. After that, it's the high school rivals sports team competitions, the field is the chicken run and their tackle techniques makes football look like a game for sissies.

Definately think we have to keep watch while they socialize. I don't want to be school nurse to a bunch of bloody noses.

 

[Owner of Elvis]

I had two young guineas in a dog kennel. One showed up dead about two weeks ago and the other began crying last week. I opened the door and it went right to the chicken coop. It hung around outside for a couple of days then I picked it up and threw it in. No one bothered her and she's been happily integrated ever since. I was giving her a hard boiled chicken egg every two days but now I don't know how to get the extra protein to just her. She free ranged outside a couple of days but now she just hangs out with the chickens and roos and seems quite contented.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

My Guineas always grow up with the chickens.

Just be careful for the first few days and monitor them to make sure there is no hen or roo that may have it out for them.

Guineas are pretty good at dodging, but sometimes they get caught.

Free Range will be the best.