What is the best way to care for and keep guineas when you are expecting snow?

[MelindaAustin]

We are expecting rain, snow and ice on the night of Thanksgiving and for a few days and I would like to know what the best way would be to take care of our guineas. I remember seeing something about alfalfa in a hay net for when they don't free range, but I don't remember the rules about it. We have a large fly pen, with a coop for them, we generally let them out in the morning and lock them back up at dusk. Thank you in advance.

 

[Trefoil]

If it will be their first snow, I wouldn't let them free range during it. Every year the guinea forum has people with guineas that are up in a tree and refusing to come down because of the snow on the ground. They usually eventually give up and come down but every year a few are lost because they don't. If you have a coop with a run attached, I would let them do their thing.

 

[red horse ranch]

We are expecting rain, snow and ice on the night of Thanksgiving and for a few days and I would like to know what the best way would be to take care of our guineas. I remember seeing something about alfalfa in a hay net for when they don't free range, but I don't remember the rules about it. We have a large fly pen, with a coop for them, we generally let them out in the morning and lock them back up at dusk. Thank you in advance.

I usually just throw a flake of alfalfa hay on the floor of the coop when the weather is bad and the birds can't get out. They love to scratch in it and scatter it everywhere but the chaff is all they really eat. Some people put the hay in a net but most of the chaff ends up on the floor anyway. Scratching in it gives the birds something to do and helps avoid boredom.

My guineas are pretty much fair weather birds and they don't want to go out if it's snowing, raining, or the wind is blowing. But if you have an enclosed run for them you can let them decide whether to stay in or go out. It's funny to watch them sounding their alarm when they see that the ground is white and very cold!

 

[MelindaAustin]

Awesome this information in quite helpful. I am hesitant about letting them out of their fly pen for their first snow since they don't like change so much. Do you think they'd be okay for the next snow, or should we plan on leaving them in for the next one too. I do remember the last time it was raining, they weren't too interested in coming out in it. I do look forward to seeing their reaction to the snow, they've been enjoyable to have around.

 

[red horse ranch]

It's snowing here in Wyoming so all my birds are confined to the henhouse for today and probably tomorrow too. If the sun shines Friday I may open their door for a while thru the day. But chances are they won't even want to go out for more than a few minutes.

 

[jen1]

I live in upstate NY, where we get a fair amount of snow. I had to build a big enclosed bird run/building so I could keep the birds in during the winter. I let mine out my first winter and what a nightmare getting them back in. They sat for hours up in mature trees and would not move. Weather called for -15 degrees overnight. I had to force them down with a long snow rake (the ones I could reach). Luckily, a few flew and the rest followed. They flew to the top of the barn, which I had to shovel off so they would land on it. Then, had to make a visible trail out of hay flakes in order to get them to fly down off the barn and walk into the run. Took about 4 hours to finally get them in.