Are Guineafowl a smart choice?

[ker0412]

I have an established flock of chickens and will soon add more chickens. I'm also torn between a goose or guinea as a security alarm. Which will do the job without bullying my flock?

 

[Akrnaf2]

Guinea fowls are EXTREMELY bully towards chickens, and they will drive you crazy with theirs calls.

 

[R2elk]

I have an established flock of chickens and will soon add more chickens. I'm also torn between a goose or guinea as a security alarm. Which will do the job without bullying my flock?

Neither a goose or a guinea should be added as a single bird. Guineas are a flock bird and do best in large numbers. I never recommend having a flock of less than ten guineas so they have sufficient numbers to take their behaviors out on each other rather than on the other poultry. They will not protect your chickens. They may or may not give valid alarms during the daytime that may warn your chickens.

Geese can do the same thing but in my experience geese are more likely to give valid alarms at any time of the day or night.

 

[Ms Biddy]

Unfortunately, I don't know anything about geese but we have guineas. Guineas need to at least be in mated pairs, not solo. They are quite mean to chickens and are faster, so they tend to get the best of them in fights. Single males that are sexually frustrated will make targets out of chickens and terrorize them. I would only keep them together if they were raised together as chicks and keets. Lastly, my guineas don't act as alarms. They do their own thing and our rooster is the only one who seems concerned with flock safety. The guineas do yell from time to time, for no apparent reason or because they want something from me. They are extremely loud. Despite all of this, I think they're beautiful and interesting and enjoy having them in our flock.

 

[Srod79]

We have 10 guineas and 21 chickens, at the moment the guineas are on week 1 of 3 for acclimating to our new home. Our guineas are all males and as you can see are penned right next to the chickens. Thus far, I have seen no kerfuffles between the two, but they have not been let out to forage yet. They are loud and should alert you to any change if able...

 

[ker0412]

Neither a goose or a guinea should be added as a single bird. Guineas are a flock bird and do best in large numbers. I never recommend having a flock of less than ten guineas so they have sufficient numbers to take their behaviors out on each other rather than on the other poultry. They will not protect your chickens. They may or may not give valid alarms during the daytime that may warn your chickens.

Geese can do the same thing but in my experience geese are more likely to give valid alarms at any time of the day or night.

I've heard people say they have raised geese with chicks and turned out okay. I reason I only want one goose is because many say pairs tends to only look after each other and not the flock. Is this true?

 

[R2elk]

Unfortunately, I don't know anything about geese but we have guineas. Guineas need to at least be in mated pairs, not solo. They are quite mean to chickens and are faster, so they tend to get the best of them in fights. Single males that are sexually frustrated will make targets out of chickens and terrorize them. I would only keep them together if they were raised together as chicks and keets. Lastly, my guineas don't act as alarms. They do their own thing and our rooster is the only one who seems concerned with flock safety. The guineas do yell from time to time, for no apparent reason or because they want something from me. They are extremely loud. Despite all of this, I think they're beautiful and interesting and enjoy having them in our flock.

Raising keets and chicks together causes the keets to be imprinted by the chicks. When they grow up the guineas do not recognize that the chickens are not guineas and use their instinctive behaviors on the chickens. If they are raised separately, the mature guineas know that the chickens are not different looking guineas and if the guineas have sufficient numbers in their flock and sufficient room, they will leave the chickens alone.

I have raised keets both ways, with and without chicks and have housed guineas both ways, with and separate from chickens. I now brood and raise my keets separate and house my adults separate from chickens and other poultry. I maintain a flock of at least 10 guineas. My guineas can now be free ranged in the same place at the same time without any interaction between them and my chickens and turkeys. The guineas keep to themselves as do the chickens and turkeys.

 

[R2elk]

We have 10 guineas and 21 chickens, at the moment the guineas are on week 1 of 3 for acclimating to our new home. Our guineas are all males and as you can see are penned right next to the chickens. Thus far, I have seen no kerfuffles between the two, but they have not been let out to forage yet. They are loud and should alert you to any change if able...

It is normal for the coexistence of guineas and chickens to go smoothly right up until the first breeding season. It is also normal for guineas to become "terrorists" as soon as breeding season arrives. Having only male guineas and keeping them with chickens is a recipe for frustrated male guineas that will cause your chickens extreme stress.

 

[R2elk]

I've heard people say they have raised geese with chicks and turned out okay. I reason I only want one goose is because many say pairs tends to only look after each other and not the flock. Is this true?

Reasons Why You Shouldn't Keep Just One Goose

 

[Srod79]

It is normal for the coexistence of guineas and chickens to go smoothly right up until the first breeding season. It is also normal for guineas to become "terrorists" as soon as breeding season arrives. Having only male guineas and keeping them with chickens is a recipe for frustrated male guineas that will cause you chicken extreme stress.

Planning to add more this fall and balance the
Guinea scale. Got only males to start for ticks specifically.