Guineas

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I just purchased some guineas. How long should I pen them up for? Are they able to survive on there own? Will I have to pen them up at night? Thanks

-- Auralee Mcgary (scoutiedog@hotmail.com), February 09, 2002

Answers

How long you should keep them penned up might depend on how long you want to remain friends with your neighbors. They like to wander far,and will sometimes just screach at an animal or person for 30 minutes or more.At about 3 months of age they are usually safe enough to sleep out and roost in high tree tops.When they are younger they can make it OK (out of pen )as long as dogs and other bird eating animals aren't around.I used to live at a secluded homesite that the only neighbors were cows.I had about 60 guineas and had no problems with them. Except if I slept late they'd come by my bedroom window and like a choir all screach at the same time to let me know I was late for feeding time .They ate mostly what they could find and a little scratch feed in the morning.Very economical poultry to raise if you have the right condition.I have 4 where I live now and the only time I let them out is in snake season, my neighbors seem to like them that time of the year because they keep mine and their property snake less.I don't like them eating the snakes but my neighbors do.I let them out for exercise and to keep the yellow jacket population under control.They sit on top a yellow jacket nest and eat them as they come out of the ground, and it seems as though the sting of the yellow jackets doesn't bother them.

-- Sm Steve (notrealmail@msn.com), February 09, 2002.

In the winter, you will need to supplement their bug scavenging with scratch, wild bird food, kitchen scraps, etc. They are self- sufficient during the rest of the year, although I prefer to keep a water feeder on the property to keep them coming back home every day. I always pen up the birds until they are at least 6 weeks old before I let them out to forage. They are outstanding tick-eaters!

-- Liz Rhein (merhein@shentel.net), February 09, 2002.

If these are adult guineas, don't let them all out at the same time for their first outing. They might leave. Let one or two out at a time, they will return to the pen to be with the others. Let a few out each day til they get the idea to return to the pen for their food. Best wishes!

-- cowgirlone in OK (cowgirlone47@hotmail.com), February 09, 2002.

I penned the guineas for 3 weeks. There's always feed in the hoppers. After the 3 weeks, the guineas will return to the pens on their own at dusk. I keep food in the pens at all time. The guineas, like the chooks, would wander in and out of the pens during the day to eat/drink/lay eggs.

If you move the pens, or move to a different house, the birds have to again be penned for 3 weeks.

If you don't pen the guineas, they'll leave your place to attempt to go back where they were.

If you don't pen the guineas at night, chances are very good that the predators will eat them in no time.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2222@hotmail.com), February 10, 2002.


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