[Wood]

We are looking at getting a few Guinea Fowl to keep around our small holding as burglar alarms!! there is plenty of space, trees and bushes etc. What I want to know is:

Will they be an effective burglar alarm, have been told they will sit in a tree and make alot of noise if someone approaches??
Do I need to house them in a similar way to chickens?
Do they need protecting from foxes?
will they share the chicken food and feeder?
Are they agressive?? we have a 4 year old and was going to get some Geese but was told they are agressive?
Are there eggs edible (silly questions I am sure but left the stupid one till last)

We also have some pigs but I am sure they will not bother them! We need to address the security issue pritty soon since we had our chicken house stolen a few weeks ago!!

All comments would be much appreciated

thanks

[bamford6]

wev just sold this week we had 20 they do make a noise and i never seen oures up a tree you need young stock they will get used to feeding them like chickins and a safe pen let out same time everey day no problem we hatched oures out .

[Brahma girl]

Hi We keep Guinea Fowl, we love them, yes they are very noisy and make a good burglar alarm as they make an alarm call when someone they don't know comes on the property. When it's me and my hubs it's a diffrent noise. The eggs are good, very yellow yokes and the shell is quite firm like a Goose egg. Our have there own pen and house. They have shared with chickens but prefere there own company and keep to there flock. Not agressive but don'y like to be picked up. I have handle mine since they hatched out of there shell. There really dont like it and fight to be free, where as I keep lots of chickens who like a cuddel. They eat the same food as the chickens, I give mins a little game feed in the winter helps them build up a bit of fat to keep them going over the winter. They get on with my cat and dogs. I know other people who house them in there stables with Goats and Horses. When the weather is good they sleep out in the trees, but always come home to eat. They are very difficult to sex. But as we have quite a few did not matter to me. you are supposed to be able to tell from there calls. I think when there makeing so mauch noise it's difficult to tell.

Hope this hellps Nadine

[Wood]

OK so this is what I am thinking....

If I get them a dog kennel type house i.e. no fixed door on it then they can come and go when they want i.e. sleep in trees etc

We currently have the chicken house within an enclosed area where they get locked in at night to stop any potential fox attacks. Would the Guinea Fowl need to be in this area or could there house be outside this area?? i.e. are they in danger of foxes??

OR any better suggestions feel free to put them in the mix
x

[adamhfc]

they can be sexed by there wattles think thats what there called the bits at the side of the face one has slightly curved ones and the other has straight bit

am sure thats what i was told

[Hardfeather]

Everything is in danger from foxes. Guinea Fowl are certainly more alert than most breeds of hen, but I wouldn't rely on that to keep them safe.

In their natural habitat of scrubland, they have camouflage and plenty of cover to help them survive predators, but when they are more visible and obstructed by fencing and buildings, they are put at a disadvantage.

Ideally they would be kept inside overnight and let out at a time when early morning predation is unlikely.

[Brahma girl]

Ours roost on a perch about 5 foot off the ground in their pen, they will need somewhere to lay eggs the same at chickens and they are just as vulnerable to fox attack as any other birds (chickens/ducks). You will need to keep them in for 2/3 months to get them used to your place or they will go back to where you bought them or wander off as they are like homing pigeons. We kept ours in for 6 months and now they won't leave the garden which is their territory even though we are surrounded by farmland. Your dog kennel would need to be placed off the ground in a large cage. Ours is about 6 foot high x 8 long x 6 wide, open on 3 sides with a covered roof that keeps off the rain. We lock them in or we leave the door open so they can wander and fly around the garden and roost in the trees. They are great fun to watch, they are real clowns.

[Cinderhills]

We got ours at 5 days old.  We bought a hen house especially but they didn't use it.  They sleep in the horse chestnut very high off the ground.  We did loose one when we first let them out as they didn't know what to do at night.

They do screech when there is something strange about, and they also make a softer noise most of the time but you get used to it.  Ours get corn before the chickens come out and when they go to bed.  They share the chicken feeders.

When we did get eggs they lay in places we didn't know about for ages.  At one point they spent a lot of time at the farm next door and one day the farmers wife brought round a container of about 60 eggs they found.  I wish they laid nearby as the ones I have tasted are delicious with very orange yolks and not much white.

I only have one left know and plan to get more in the spring probably.

[princesspiggy]

we had 10 keets that were completely free range, but used to spend alot of time at the neighbours house, which didnt go down very well. gradually one by one they disappeared ( ) until we had one left. last year we got 2 new ones and put the 3 together in a coop and run, but the wind blew it over and they escaped. the 3 are now fed like chickens and are more tame than the first ones, and sleep in our trees. (on our land this time   )
im wanting to collect their eggs to breed from (presuming they are opposite sexes) as we never had babies with the first lot.
my guinea fowl have never threatened anyone, they would rather run, they do shout but u get used to it. not as shreiky as geese.

[Sylvia]

The best way to sex Guinea Fowl is by their call. The hens say "Go back, go back" and the cocks "Back, back, back"