Considering Guineas

[Mantisquailman]

And they were all in the Sam chicken tractor

 

[R2elk]

And they were all in the Sam chicken tractor

For one thing, guineas don't do well in "tractors". For another thing you make no mention of the age of your guineas or how many you had,

It is common for people to say how well their guineas get along with their chickens while they are juveniles. When the guineas' instincts kick in at the first breeding season, the story completely changes.

 

[SamLockwood]

It is common for people to say how well their guineas get along with their chickens while they are juveniles. When the guineas' instincts kick in at the first breeding season, the story completely changes.

Yup. Best case is you have enough space and a setup to where when the guineas start their chasing and feather pulling antics (in other words "flirting" if you're a guinea) the chickens can get away from them.

Last year one guinea figured out he could make the roosters jump by charging them from behind, he'd even lift them a bit with his head. I think I saw the big cuckoo maran leap at least 5' straight up one time. It did teach the roos to be more watchful.

 

[SamLockwood]

That is not what happened with mine. I put three different breeds of chickens with my Guineas and they were all best friends.

Good for you. Other people have absolute horror stories about guineas injuring or killing their chickens, which is why I did a ton of research and took some extra time and expense for a setup where I could, if need be, separate the two flocks easily.

For me, they got along fine until the hormones kicked in. Then, there were a couple months unpleasantness: no murders but definitely some above-average bullying. Then they settled into a routine where they tend to act like two separate flocks that share an apartment complex and restaurant (with the sole exception of egg-laying and incubation).

 

[AGeese]

Correct if wrong, but I think the assumption is people keep Guineas more for meat, eggs less so, but also for tick and snake control with the added bonus of having feathered sentinels on patrol.

not prone to wandering too far, ... , amiable to other flock members

Not sure about this one.

 

[TexasTurkeyMama]

Hey all y'all. The guinea flock earned their roost bar when the males ringed around a patch of tall grass and alerted me to a huge rattlesnake hiding among the wildflowers.

I don't care if they aren't at peace with the other flocks, guineas are all right with me.