Guineas are punks, eggs, and other questions

[GandalfGoose]

So I have a current flock of 18 guineas. 8 of them a couple months older (about a year old) then the other ten who are about 10 months old. The first 8 I raised from keets and the others I got as 6 month olds. They spent a couple months living together in their pen in the barn before I started letting them out to free range during the day about a month or so ago. When they were locked up in the barn they were relatively nice to each other, just the occasional threatening display over who is the most dominate and should get the yummies when I put really good food in. Now that I have started letting them out they have gotten more aggressive with each other. Still mostly just chasing and displays, but I will see them spar or fight with each other more and more. There is one (that I think is a female) that is getting all the feathers pulled out of her back and is getting scabbed up. Is this normal? Is there something I can/should do about it?

Also, the guineas are punks to the other farm animals. They like to fence fight with the dogs, which does not make me really happy with them. They also will go after the neighbors cats, but that is understandable. However, they have gone into the neighbors yard and gone after their two bull-mastiffs. Thankfully the neighbors don't mind the guineas because of the great reduction in bugs already! We also have geese and the guineas and geese are constantly threatening each other although they seem to be working it out finally. Our these guineas just weirdly mean or is this normal too? If it is normal is there any way of getting everyone to get along a little better?

These guys don't seem to like to "go to bed" until it is practically dark outside. I was wondering is there anyway of getting them to go in the barn sooner, more like the beginning of dusk? I won't go to sleep myself until all the animals are in for the night, but I get up at 4:30 in the morning and am not really thrilled with having to wait for them to decide it is dark enough for them to come in. I have left a couple outside overnight a few times and they get really distressed when this happens, but still refuse to come in a a reasonable time. Am I destined to just be annoyed at their bedtime choice until the days start getting shorter?

Finally, is there any way to get them to lay their eggs in a nest box? I knew that they are known for laying eggs in weird places, but I have hunted very thoroughly all over our property and usually can't find any eggs. Occasionally I will happen upon one so I know they are laying. I am starting to think that they are leaving all their eggs at one of the neighbors, but I don't want them doing that! Is there anything I can do about this? I really think I like them, but I find them to be very strange birds to say the least

 

[GitaBooks]

I don't have guineas, but I do have chickens. The wide open space perhaps gives them a chance to feel the need to create territories for themselves.
Could the female be getting over-bred? If so, there a few things you can do about. You can also try putting a saddle on her to prevent feather picking until she grows her feathers back in.

I have heard of guineas being bullies to other animals, especially if they weren't raised with them. They probably see a lot of them as threats to their territory or offspring (future offspring if they have never gone broody).
Guineas like to perch outside (they love it. On the house, in trees, on the barn, ect) and they love to nest out in hidden places outside. They are stubborn and they have only recently been domesticated when compared to other poultry species (chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, quail). They are tough little guys, and they should do well outside if there are no large predators (they are too big for some of the smaller ones).
I hear that a lot of people love their guineas, but they certainly are full of personality.

I want to get some guineas soon, but I'm not sure if they won't just fly into the dog pen and get eaten, bully my poor barn cats, walk on the road, or fight with my roosters. I'm going to start with something a little easier, like turkeys, and see how well they get along with my property, since turkeys are the most similar to Guineas of the domestic species.

Best of luck!

 

[GandalfGoose]

I never thought about the extra space of being outside as what might be causing them to fight with each other. I guess I just figured that with the extra space that they would leave each other alone and mind their own business, but I guess I don't think like a guinea! I like the idea of the saddle. I tried putting some no pick goo on it the other day but it doesn't seem like it helped much, but I will have to catch that one tonight to get a closer look.

The thing about them not getting along with the other animals I find curious since they have all seen each other since we got the guineas, but maybe them being outside had given them extra confidence or something. I will say that as much as they harass the dogs they only ever do it through the fence (to ours but not the neighbor's). One or two of them have gotten in the dog yard, but flew out quickly when they saw they were able to be chased by the dogs. That actually surprised me because I have a friend who has guineas (who seem to have much different personalities from mine) that has lost a number of them to her own dogs.

 

[sarahandjay]

If this started recently it could be due to breeding time. Do you know how many males and females you have. Very true that the one with feather s missing could be getting overbreed.