An special advise for raising guineas?

So I took my sister out to buy some guinea fowl today. She's wanted some for years and I've said "No" partly because I thought they were too noisy and partly because I didn't think I needed the extra work and expense of another breed. Today she found a local ad on kijij of guinea fowl for sale and, of course, reminded me that she would like those (not expecting to get them really). Well, something struck a soft spot in my heart I guess (or else I had a momentary lapse of sanity ) and off we went and came back with 4 young guineas. Not sure how old they are - guessing about 2 months. Don't have any experience with guineas. The man we bought them from said he fed them scratch feed and threw a little laying feed in with it. He didn't have a very fancy setup - just actually had them in a wire cage with shavings and feed and water. We have an empty chicken pen so now they are home with scratch feed and water (with electrolytes) and a little meat builder mixed in with their scratch. They have a nice clean dry pen with much more room than they had before and they went right to eating and and making little "happy sounds", at least I think they are "happy" sounds. They seem content.

Is there anything else I should be doing for them? What should I be feeding them? Any advise would be appreciated as I have lots of experience with regular hens but no experience with guineas.

They sure are cute though. One white, one lavender and two dark ones that the man called blue.

Your Guinea kit should include a good pair of running shoes, a pair of binoculars, a telescopic handled net and a set of industrial earplugs.

My pair live with my hens. The only thing is, if you plan on letting them out into a run, either have it covered or get used to clipping their wings so they don't fly away on you. Mine were left in the coop for a few days and then I just let them free range, the only problem I have had is my guinea hen thinks she is a chicken and lays right along with the chickens so I wasn't able to hatch any babies. Tried moving her but she would lay all over the place. As soon as I put her back with the hens she went right back to laying with the hens. Mine free range and get whatever the chickens are eating which right now is wheat and corn with layer pellets. Good luck. I am hoping to get more from Alberta next spring.

Schipperkesue wrote:Your Guinea kit should include a good pair of running shoes, a pair of binoculars, a telescopic handled net and a set of industrial earplugs.

LOL - maybe next spring - for now they will not be freeranging. However, the industrial earplugs may have to go on my next shopping list.

foal0069 wrote:My pair live with my hens. The only thing is, if you plan on letting them out into a run, either have it covered or get used to clipping their wings so they don't fly away on you. Mine were left in the coop for a few days and then I just let them free range, the only problem I have had is my guinea hen thinks she is a chicken and lays right along with the chickens so I wasn't able to hatch any babies. Tried moving her but she would lay all over the place. As soon as I put her back with the hens she went right back to laying with the hens. Mine free range and get whatever the chickens are eating which right now is wheat and corn with layer pellets. Good luck. I am hoping to get more from Alberta next spring.

Thanks. For now they will not be free ranging but will be living in a pen separately from the hens. Hopefully I can free range them next summer if my german shepherd girl settles down and leaves the poultry alone.

They can be quite mean to the hens. I moved mine from the hens to the turkeys and that was better, I think the turkey pellets suit them better too, but they do occasionally pick on the turkeys when the turkeys moult, pull out feathers and just attack them. They love kitchen scraps and green stuff. Mine lay well but rarely nest but that may be due to overcrowding. If I am working some where on the ranch and hear them explode into that machine-gun rattle I've learned something is going on. They know me and the dogs but anything else out of place.... quite useful.

Mine have bonded to the turkey and free range with full feathers. They roost in trees at night. The turkey stands under their tree and calls out anxiously.

If I leave mine out overnight there are only feathers left in the morning - I think owls.

They fly very very well! I let mine run the yard all summer, and close them up in the winter,, I have a coved run in the winter so they don't fly out. The guinea cocks can be aggressive Towards chicken roosters, but I find female guineas get along nicely with my hens. Feed mine layer with shell and they are in with my turkey. I find they get along very well with turkeys,, maybe they think it's a huge ass guinea!! Haha if I think of any other help ful guinea tips I'll pass them on!

mine free range all year long, they know when it starts to get dark to do into the barn.
I love them, they are so different looking, a face only a mamma can love...LOL

Appreciate all the comments and advise. My original intent when I went to buy them was to buy only a couple hens but when we got there he had some younger ones and we thought they may settle in better and accept this as home quicker than mature ones. The seller said he couldn't tell the difference between cocks and hens at their age so we likely have both. Now I'm wondering "Do cocks tend to be cross toward people?" If we free range them they will have access to our mink ranch and we will have a number farm workers around. It will be wonderful to have bug eaters around but do we have to be concerned about them being aggressive?

Appreciate all the comments and advise. My original intent when I went to buy them was to buy only a couple hens but when we got there he had some younger ones and we thought they may settle in better and accept this as home quicker than mature ones. The seller said he couldn't tell the difference between cocks and hens at their age so we likely have both. Now I'm wondering "Do cocks tend to be cross toward people?" If we free range them they will have access to our mink ranch and we will have a number farm workers around. It will be wonderful to have bug eaters around but do we have to be concerned about them being aggressive?

Also, how well do they winter? I use a heat lamp for some of my chickens? Should I use one for my guineas? Lots of questions. LOL

They are generally terrified of people and stay out of their way.

I do think being originally African they need some heat in the depths of winter. I've found a few dead curled up in the hen house - think they died of cold? They seem very tough but I do wonder, at least at night.

None of mine are aggressive, but boy can they run! It is like the Roadrunner cartoon.

We have had guineas come and live with us. They came from the neighbour and he has so many he wasn't worried when we told him.
They live on their own here. We can get close but not real close. They tolerate the dogs (our dogs don't chase) and us moving around the ranch. They come and see what we are doing on occasion. They check out the barn and indoor areana sometimes, but they live in the hay shed with all the round bales. They live on what they can find, lots of green feed and oats and hay in there, but when it gets really cold I may supplement them.
I kinda like them and hubby, who doesn't really like stuff like that, keeps an eye on them too now.