How much space do guineas need?

Your guinea fowl house should be cozy but large enough to accommodate your flock. To determine the appropriate size to make the house, figure on 3 to 4 square feet for each bird you want to keep. If you’ll be keeping 12 guinea fowl, their house will need a floor plan of between 36 square feet and 48 square feet.

How do I keep guineas in my yard?

How to Keep Guinea Fowl from Flying Away
  1. Start Them Young. Guineas raised from keets are less likely to fly the coop. …
  2. Raise Keets with Chicks. …
  3. Let a Hen Raise the Keets. …
  4. Get Mature Guineas to Adopt Them. …
  5. Provide High Roosting Bars. …
  6. Temporarily Confine Them. …
  7. Cover the Run. …
  8. Clip Their Wings.

How far do guineas roam?

If you want to keep your guineas from wandering in a specific area, you must keep them in covered pens. Guineas are able to fly at a very early age, and they become strong fliers able to fly 400 to 500 ft. at a time. Guineas are also very good runners and prefer to move on foot, including when escaping from predators.

How many guineas make a flock?

A small flock can consist of around five to ten birds.

If one bird started moving, they all started moving. Guinea Fowl rely heavily on their flock for protection and security. Unfortunately, Guinea Fowl don’t have the best senses and they’re not that smart, so they make easy targets for predators.

When can you let guineas free range?

My answer is that you can start to free range guinea fowl from between 3 and 4 months of age. The first stage is to let them out just 30 minutes or so before they normally roost, that way they won’t have the time to wander far before it’d bedtime.

Do guineas protect chickens?

3. They Will Be Backyard Protectors. Utilizing their loud, alarm-like cry as a deterrent to predators, guinea fowls can act as backyard protectors for your chicken flock. A small group of guinea fowls will often make such a ruckus that their owners are alerted of danger right away.

How many guineas should you have together?

In the wild guinea pigs live in groups of 10 or more. They are social creatures, and need the company of their own kind. As pets they are usually kept in pairs or trios of the same relationship. Two females (sows) will live happily together, as will two males (boars), particularly if they are siblings.

Do guineas need a coop?

As mentioned earlier, guineas are not very domesticated birds. They don’t actually require a coop. They will roost in the trees. However, if you want them to come home and roost then they’ll need a coop.

Will guinea hens roost with chickens?

Remember, chickens will naturally go to roost at night, whereas Guineas are very independent; they will not go to roost in the coop because you expect them to. You may succeed to some extent if you are prepared to put in a great deal of time and effort to caring and working with them.

Can chickens breed with guinea fowl?

When confined together, chickens and guineas will interbreed on occasion, and sometimes the result is a fertile egg. Survival rate in these hybrids is higher if they are more like the guinea parent (in which case the incubation period is 25-26 days).

What is poisonous to guinea fowl?

Alcohol – Ethanol is poisonous to Guinea fowl.

How do I make my guinea FOET quiet?

How can you tell male from female guineas?

The male is slightly larger, has a larger, taller standing crest on top of his head, and the wattles under his chin are bigger and stick out farther than the female’s. The hen’s crest is somewhat smaller and angled more toward the rear, and her wattles aren’t as large or as deeply cupped.

Do guinea fowl keep snakes away?

Thanks to their noise, Guineas are an excellent way to protect the yard from uninvited snakes. In a flock, Guinea Fowl will sound out loudly to alert you of the presence of a snake. If the snake is small, a flock may encircle the snake and may even eliminate it.

What age do guineas start laying eggs?

about 12 months
Females begin to lay eggs at about 12 months of age. Do you have a space for them through the winter months? Guineas will need adequate winter housing. You will need a plan for winter timekeeping of the birds.

Can guinea hens survive winter?

Yes, guinea fowl do like to get out for some exercise and fresh air even in the winter. On a snowy but calm day when there are no hazardous conditions then let them out. Below: In relatively mild conditions these birds are fine to be out as normal.

Do guinea hens mate for life?

A male and female guinea fowl are normally monogamous—which means that they pair with each other for life and mate with no other individuals.

Do Guineas eat fire ants?

They also like to eat bugs like fire ants, earwigs, grasshoppers, Japanese beetles and yes, guinea fowl eat stink bugs. They’ll eat pretty much everything but ladybugs and adult tent worms. They are kinder to your garden then chickens are.

How do you keep guineas warm in the winter?

Roosting bars should be provided for guinea fowl. Guineas fluff their feathers to allow air in to help cool their bodies during the summer and to allow the warm air from their body heat to warm their legs and feet during the winter.

How cold is too cold for guineas?

Your Guinea Pig’s Preferred Climate

Some rodents, like ground squirrels or Eastern chipmunks, hibernate when the weather turns cold, but guinea pigs don’t. Instead, guinea pigs are most comfortable in air temperatures of about 65°F to 75°F. Anything below about 60°F is probably too cold for your pig.

Are guinea hens good pets?

But beyond their looks these birds have a lot going for them, and with their unique personalities and skill sets they make excellent pets, and are a useful addition to any farm. Guinea fowl are hardy and low maintenance, and are adept at foraging for their food.

What kind of coop do guineas need?

How much coop space does a Guinea fowl need? Guineas need at least 2 square foot in the coop and 10 square foot of floor space in the run, which is around twice as much space as chickens do in the coop. Guinea fowl also require more perch space and height, both in the coop and in the run.

Are guinea hens better than chickens?

If you need to keep your flock contained, guinea fowl will make that a lot more challenging. While chickens can easily be kept in a confined area and will generally be content with it, guinea fowl are not so easily caged. … Guinea fowl tend to be a little healthier and hardier.