Where do Guinea Fowl Sleep at Night?

Like humans, guinea fowls are diurnal birds that sleep at night. Wild guinea fowls usually sleep up high in trees to avoid predators. Domesticated guinea fowls usually sleep in shelters where predators can’t get them as they sleep at night.

Do Guinea Fowl Need a Coop?

Guinea fowls need shelter just like other poultry. Nonetheless, you don’t necessarily have to keep these birds in a coop. Guinea fowls belong to the same family as turkeys and pheasants, which prefer to live outdoors. Having a coop for your bird is necessary since you can locate its eggs with ease. However, you will have to train your bird to live in the coop.

Lure Guinea Fowl in Coop at Night

Guinea fowls don’t go into their coops at night. Fortunately, though, you can still lure your bird to its coop by providing it with food and other treats such as corn, bugs, vegetables, and grapes. An easy way to entice your guinea fowl into the coop is by tossing a handful of grains into the coop.

Guinea fowls love grains, and they will run inside the coop to feed on the grains. However, train your bird to get into the coop independently without your intervention in the long run.

– Light

Guinea fowls avoid living in dark spaces. After all, these birds aren’t nocturnal, and they lose the ability to see at night. Thus, you can’t lure your bird into the coop if there is darkness inside the coop. Your bird won’t feel safe entering a dark coop. Therefore, provide lighting in the coop to encourage your bird to get into the coop at night.

Consider installing artificial lighting in the coop. A 40-watt bulb will provide an adequate amount of light for your single guinea fowl. Nonetheless, consider installing more bulbs if you are keeping many birds in a large coop.

Ensure the light in the cage is equivalent to daylight. That way, your bird will quickly enter the coop once darkness sets in.  Avoid flooding the coop with lights since the excess brightness can scare away your bird.  Also, consider having a heat lamp in the coop. A heat lamp will not only light up the coop. It will also keep your birds warm, especially during the cold winter months.

– Feeding Routine

Guinea fowl are some of the easiest domesticated birds to feed, even when living in a coop. The dietary needs of these birds are dependent on their environment. Roaming guinea fowls, for instance, don’t need any special diet since they forage for seeds and bugs outdoors.

Caged guinea fowls, however, need a special diet since they can’t forage for insects and seeds while living in cages. Consider feeding your guinea fowl with chicken feed from the stores. A protein-rich diet is suitable for an egg-laying bird since it helps increase egg production.

Guinea fowls are omnivorous birds. These lovely birds feed on a wide variety of animal and plant products. These birds will forage for fruits, frogs, insects, and seeds while roaming outdoors. Supply your guinea fowl with a diet similar to what wild guinea fowls eat in the wild.

Nevertheless, it is challenging to provide your captive bird with a diet similar to that of its wild counterparts. Luckily, you can purchase some favorite treats such as cereals and seed mixes from the store for your bird.

Apart from food, provide your bird with fresh water. Guinea fowls need a constant supply of freshwater like other domesticated birds. Thus, have a small water dish at the corner of the coop whereby your bird can drink water once it is thirsty. Change the water each day lest the water becomes contaminated with bacteria and algae.

– Separate Coop (don’t house them with chickens)

Guinea fowls are social birds that get along with other poultry, including chicken. Nonetheless, housing guinea fowls with chicken isn’t a great idea. The presence of some aggressive chickens, especially roosters in your flock, can scare away your guinea fowls, making them reluctant to enter the coop.

Besides, some roosters can attack your birds since roosters don’t tolerate intruders in the flock. Thus, consider housing your birds separately from the chicken, particularly if you have several guinea fowls in your flock. Install a barrier to separate the chickens from guinea fowls if you have a single cage. However, ensure the barrier doesn’t stop these two bird species from interacting during the day.

Can Guinea Fowl Sleep Outside?

Yes, guinea fowls can sleep outside, unlike chickens and other poultry. Your guinea fowls will be safe to sleep outside if you have trees in your yard. The birds will perch on the trees at night and then climb down in the daytime.

Nonetheless, you will be risking your bird’s life if you allow it to sleep outside. There are several predators out there that can kill your bird. Furthermore, guinea fowls can’t defend themselves against predators. These birds are naturally timid, and they also can’t detect predators.

Hence, it’s wise to ensure your guinea fowls sleep in an enclosure whereby they are safe. Even if you have a large yard where you can keep a flock of guinea fowls, ensure your yard is fenced such that your birds won’t roam far from your home at night. Installing a fence will also deter predators such as dogs from attacking your birds.

Can Guinea Fowl Sleep In Trees?

Yes, guinea fowls can sleep in trees. These birds possess an instinct to sleep high in trees, whether in the wild or captivity. Your birds will freely sleep in the trees in your yard if you don’t have a coop where they can roost at night.

Nevertheless, your birds won’t be safe while sleeping on trees. There are still some predators, such as snakes, that can harm them while sleeping in trees. Hence, it is wise to have a coop for your birds.

Conclusion

Guinea fowls are by far the easiest birds to keep in your home. These birds have few requirements in terms of maintenance. Although they can be noisy, these lovely birds can make an excellent addition to your poultry flock. Hence, consider adding a guinea fowl to your flock.

avatar James
Hey, I'm James, a hardworking homesteader for more than 30 years. I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that comes from tending my flock. I've raised chickens and ducks for eggs and meat for many years. I also have experience with other poultry too. Learn more

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