Guineas

[Keisha]

Does anyone here have them? I got four of them a couple weeks ago. They aren't tame but they dont hurt anyone. I am thinking about getting a bunch of guinea chicks. Has anyone ever raised them? is it the same as with chickens?

My guineas do lay eggs, and I see them doing this in the fields often. How do I get them to lay their eggs in the barn? I figure if I get them to do that, I can find them and either give them to the chickens oor put them in an incubator (we are thinking of buying one sometime soon).

Where has everyone got their guineas?

 

[ozark hen]

Hi there, I bought four guineas and lost two..these were adults from a local farmer. Turns out, by their voices, that I ended up with one male and one female. I discovered that the female is laying an egg a day under the hen's nesting boxes in the deep straw. I was amazed as I have no experience in guineas but I love them. Cackle Hatchery in Lebanon, Missouri sells the keets (babies)and you can find them on line. .. cacklehatchery.com You can also find advice in raising them on line at cackle hatchery. On a funnier note-
My two were in the fields when we had company so they didn't see them arrive. While standing in the driveway the guineas came into the yard and set off the alarm as they circled us. I think they were trying to tell us we had strangers on the place...belatedly. It was pretty funny. They usually do come when I call them as I try to give them a treat each time. Good luck with them.

 

[Napalongtail]

I keep my guineas for the egg season so I can collect their eggs in a huge 40x40 run w an A frame shelter in it. They lay where ever they want to for the most part. I have 5 ,4 girls and a male. 2 girls drop in or near the building, 1 likes to dump hers in with a broody duck that took up residence, and the last one is an egg hunt daily. I got them to have loose and eat bugs, but apparently my pour neighbor has the tastiery variety. So until the fencing is done they are banished to the 40x40.
On a good note though I was milking late one evening and when a truck pulled in even though they'd gone to bed them lil alarms went nutty. It was great cause they really did do their job!! I know they are watching my back and for that I'll hunt their eggs.

 

[Oaknim]

I raised our guineas alongside our baby chicks, so they were stuck in the coop for a good 6-8 weeks before they even stepped foot outside. They go in to roost with the chickens every night and my female lays eggs alongside my hens. Two of them did wander off when they were little and were got by the dog, but the others stay in the fence and never give me a problem...well, except for the time when my male roosted in a tree for 4 days straight in the dead of winter and didn't even come down to eat. I'm getting some more guineas this May - as noisy as they are, I love them dearly.

~ Oaknim