Will the Guineas always

[greenfamilyfarms]

Guineas ARE strange. Some folks claim they are stupid, but mine have proven themselves smarter than the chickens several times.

 

[kcardella]

Mine are definitely not stupid, but cautious is a good word. Mine will come running up to me every time I go outside, but will not let me pick them up. They will follow me around the garden, etc., and come right up to me, but if I try to catch them, they are convinced they are my next meal!

I think it makes a difference to get them very young, and I just hatched my first keets this morning. They are not nearly as skittish as keets I have gotten from the feed store. They come right up to my hand already instead of running the other way.

Does hatching them yourself make a difference? Anybody else have that experience?

 

[fishman65]

try some millet. they will run over an elephant for a sprig of millet.

 

[DulcyDoll]

Millet..can I use the stuff they sell in petstores for parakeets? its long stems of it?

 

[fishman65]

I DO. it doesnt seem to matter to them, but if you feed millet to them even as a snack they will need some grit.

 

[morninggloryhatchery]

Mine are very tame like Cynthia's also. They ACTUALLY LOVED being picked up and given attention to! It surprised me sooo much! I am having to get rid of them cause they are getting a little to aggresive with my other chickens. I would keep them if i could! They are great pets and gaurd dogs! I think the reason people get them so tame is always giving them attention and love when there are at a young age.


Joy

 

[sred98]

Quote:
I definitely think it does! I just got my first "home grown" batch of keets from someone on here, and they are way less skittish than the feed store ones.

Shelly

 

[eggz4sale]

I have 3 male guineas ( my only female met an untimely end) and they are extremely mean to my chickens, even though they were raised in the same pen. I now have them in a large cage because they did nothing but chase my chickens and jump on them. Some of my chickens have no tail feathers left. I know I need some females for my males, but since they can't be sexed as chicks I don't know what to do. Is it possible to get them old enough to be able to tell the sex and not have them run away?

 

[Aj1911]

LOL just wait tell mating season when they start to attack you

and yes Eggz you can get females at that age and they wont run away if you pen them up for 4-6 weeks, are they doing it to the roosters? or the hens? mine do it to either atleast my chickens know to run if they see them coming.

also its best to keep guineas and chickens separate but where they can see each other, mine have became so close to my chickens they come running if they hear a hen freak out.

 

[annaserv]

My little wierdos were handle and fed treats daily when they were little. Then one day I picked one up (probably about 4-5 weeks old) and it screamed bloody murder, now the mob doesn't trust me, except one, they just tolerate me.

But now that they have a little outdoor area to roam in they do act differently. They swarm around me dusting and eating greens. They do act totally different outside versus when they are couped up. Except my one little pet that will jump up on my arm when I hold it out. I don't bother trying to pick them up, except when one accidentally flies over the fence and wants back in, they just don't want me too.

Mine are only 8 weeks old right now, maybe with time they will get a bit more trusting.

I left a hammer laying by their fence one day and the way they checked it out with their necks stretched swaying from side to side, the first word I thought of was.. aliens.