4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Henslaved]

Hi everyone,

 

My OH has just rescued 2 Guinea Fowl from someone who has just lost all their chickens (thanks to Mr.Fox).

They didn't want to keep the Guineas on their own and they didn't want to get anymore chickens as it upset their children too much when the others were taken.

 

The 2 hens I have left are a bit wary, and the guineas seem to be keeping their distance (although the hens seem to be still at the top of the pecking order). I checked on them just after dark and they all seem to be roosting on the perches inside the hen house.

 

(I was told by the ex-guinea owner that I should keep the guineas from free ranging for a month so they know where home is .)

 

 

I was just wondering if anyone had any advice or do's and don'ts

[Patricia W]

Nnever had any, but instinct says, treat introductions in the same way. Can you section the run and put a cat carrier or something in so they can see each other but not meet?

[Henslaved]

Errrrrrrrrrm! they have already met. I don't have a cat carrier or even an unused rabbit hutch. I think i will just have to keep a close eye on them when I can. (Although I have instructed my OH that the guineas are his responsibility )

[jennydavies]

One of our neighbours has GF and they happily mix with the hens and turkeys, they are very chatty and we can hear them from our garden (which we enjoy - we love the sounds of the countryside)

[Lewis]

Have you heard the noise they make yet??

 

They should be ok with the chickens. We had a mixed pen of guinea fow, turkeys + chickens at the farm and they all got along fine

The noise is something else though

 

Photos?

[Henslaved]

You're right about the noise . Good job we don't have any really close neighbours .

 

They do seem to be getting along fine with other the 2 hens . Although I do feel guilty about letting the hens free range, whilst Mr & Mrs Guinea are confined to barracks for a while.

 

Also, is it normal for them to be terrified of me when I go into the chicken run to check their food and water? They don't seem to be as human friendly as the hens, although they do seem a little more relaxed if the hens are in with them.

 

Will try to post some photo's when I get the chance .

[Lewis]

I think its the same with pea fowl, if you let them out to FR they'd just fly off.

They had about 8 (pea fowl) at the turkey farm, kept them in a run for a few months, they stayed for a while but flew off + sometimes see them wondering in the village!

 

They do seem to be really flighty, we'd grab them when its getting dark if you ever need to do anything to them. Hopefully they'll get better + used to you if you're going in a lot

[Henslaved]

A few photo's of the new arrivals .

 

Mrs Guinea Fowl

 

Mr Guinea Fowl

 

Mr & Mrs Guinea Fowl

 

Bedtime Birds (Greta at the far right in heavy moult.)

 

Mind if I sleep next to you? (Poor old Ruby doesn't look too sure.)

[Chicken shack]

Soooooooooooo cute

[sparkysmum]

Awwwwwwwwwwwww I so love them

[Sam]

They look sooo nice! I just went on youtube to hear their noise

Blimey they are noisy!!!

[Lewis]

[Henslaved]

Just a quick update on the integration side of things. My girls are definitely still ruling the roost.

 

I didn't see it myself, but someone told me that my girls have been chasing the poor guinea fowl around the pen.

 

When I came home from work they were nowhere to be seen. So i decided to investigate and the poor newbies were inside on the perches tearing some newspaper to shreds and making a real mess (boredom or fustration? ). When I let my hens out to FR the guineas needed a little persuasion to come out and all they did was eat, eat, eat. So I think Ruby and Greta are maybe being a little hard on the newbies and preventing them from getting a fair share of breakfast, but they soon make up for it when the girls aren't there.

 

I hope things settle down soon .

[craftyhunnypie]

Ha ha they're great aren't they?

My sister has about 6 that she hatched. 4 are spotty females, then there's one white female & 1 white male who calls Charlie.

They mooch round the farm all day long, mix in with the chickens & ducks & roost very very high up in a tree at night. The noise from them is very loud & screechy & they have often been seen wandering up the lane to the post box! Hmm. They are so comical looking though & I would like some eventually - but they would just have to do their own thing I think as I don't think I'd like chasing them each night to go to bed.

 

Emma.x