BYC Guinea hen club

[MacCana]

I'm sorry for your loss!!!! :'( How old was he?

 

[margaret8]

He turned 1 yr old August 12, 2014. I'm wondering if he tangled with my big peacock, but as I said there was not a mark on him!

 

[kruegerchickens]

Alright, so originally I had posted a thread somewhere else here on byc and they told me to head your way! lol The question, or rather shout out for help was this...I have 40 chickens and 8 guineas, they free range all day and at night move into the coop to roost. (They do this on their own I don't chase my guineas into the coop.) They were all hatch-lings when I got them and they were brooded together and never separated from each other. Well now as the 4 month mark has approached us my guineas have started plucking our chickens! Tail feathers and really any back end or wing feathers. My poor chickens are looking a little on the mange-y side . Any suggestions appreciated! Lady at the feed store has ordered me some "no-peck" so I'm going to attempt that before her other advice...which was to clip the top beak of my guineas :S. I don't see how they could nab the bugs with that part missing. (I'm not completely against it but definitely would rather use that as a last resort.) Thank you guys! AGAIN they are FREE RANGE. They only get locked up in the coop at night time when they go in to roost.

 

[margaret8]

Alright, so originally I had posted a thread somewhere else here on byc and they told me to head your way! lol The question, or rather shout out for help was this...I have 40 chickens and 8 guineas, they free range all day and at night move into the coop to roost. (They do this on their own I don't chase my guineas into the coop.) They were all hatch-lings when I got them and they were brooded together and never separated from each other. Well now as the 4 month mark has approached us my guineas have started plucking our chickens! Tail feathers and really any back end or wing feathers. My poor chickens are looking a little on the mange-y side . Any suggestions appreciated! Lady at the feed store has ordered me some "no-peck" so I'm going to attempt that before her other advice...which was to clip the top beak of my guineas :S. I don't see how they could nab the bugs with that part missing. (I'm not completely against it but definitely would rather use that as a last resort.) Thank you guys! AGAIN they are FREE RANGE. They only get locked up in the coop at night time when they go in to roost.

My guineas did the same thing to my 2 week younger peafowel. They will stop when they get older. They go back in now but wait until the hens start laying. I found out that if I keep the hens penned up the males will go in without a problem. If you don't you hunt nest

 

[R2elk]

Alright, so originally I had posted a thread somewhere else here on byc and they told me to head your way! lol The question, or rather shout out for help was this...I have 40 chickens and 8 guineas, they free range all day and at night move into the coop to roost. (They do this on their own I don't chase my guineas into the coop.) They were all hatch-lings when I got them and they were brooded together and never separated from each other. Well now as the 4 month mark has approached us my guineas have started plucking our chickens! Tail feathers and really any back end or wing feathers. My poor chickens are looking a little on the mange-y side . Any suggestions appreciated! Lady at the feed store has ordered me some "no-peck" so I'm going to attempt that before her other advice...which was to clip the top beak of my guineas :S. I don't see how they could nab the bugs with that part missing. (I'm not completely against it but definitely would rather use that as a last resort.) Thank you guys! AGAIN they are FREE RANGE. They only get locked up in the coop at night time when they go in to roost.

The feather plucking is a trait of guineas. Next spring when mating season comes around, it will get worse. The best thing that you can do is to separate the guineas from the chickens. I seriously doubt that no peck with have any effect on your guineas. You could try peepers such as are used on pheasants to stop pecking. Again, I don't think that it will work.

http://www.strombergschickens.com/prod_detail_list/s?keyword=peepers

The thing is that the guineas are not pecking. They are grabbing hold of the feathers and pulling and or snapping the feather shaft. Sometimes they get a free ride as the attacked poultry try to run away dragging the guinea before the feather pulls out or breaks off.

 

[margaret8]

My guineas scalped my peas! The peas went around with no creast for a long time! The guineas ruled the roost even though the peas were bigger!

 

[gander007]

Alright, so originally I had posted a thread somewhere else here on byc and they told me to head your way! lol The question, or rather shout out for help was this...I have 40 chickens and 8 guineas, they free range all day and at night move into the coop to roost. (They do this on their own I don't chase my guineas into the coop.) They were all hatch-lings when I got them and they were brooded together and never separated from each other. Well now as the 4 month mark has approached us my guineas have started plucking our chickens! Tail feathers and really any back end or wing feathers. My poor chickens are looking a little on the mange-y side . Any suggestions appreciated! Lady at the feed store has ordered me some "no-peck" so I'm going to attempt that before her other advice...which was to clip the top beak of my guineas :S. I don't see how they could nab the bugs with that part missing. (I'm not completely against it but definitely would rather use that as a last resort.) Thank you guys! AGAIN they are FREE RANGE. They only get locked up in the coop at night time when they go in to roost.

It took me awhile to figure out it was my guinea doing the same thing as I originally thought it was my geese doing all the damage for it was normal for them to pluck tail feathers ......

But over time I see this is something the guinea do naturally ........



















gander007

 

[MacCana]

My two guineas also go up at night with the chickens. I haven't had this problem, since they were raised together since they were a few days old, but I am concerned about when they begin breeding. I have always heard that guineas make nests in impossible places to find & hens are often killed on nests....and we have a hay field across the road. Is it a guarantee that they'll disappear for a while in order to set on some eggs, or is there a chance she will lay in the nest boxes like my hens? I love them to pieces, and Id hate for something to happen to them.

 

[margaret8]

My two guineas also go up at night with the chickens. I haven't had this problem, since they were raised together since they were a few days old, but I am concerned about when they begin breeding. I have always heard that guineas make nests in impossible places to find & hens are often killed on nests....and we have a hay field across the road. Is it a guarantee that they'll disappear for a while in order to set on some eggs, or is there a chance she will lay in the nest boxes like my hens? I love them to pieces, and Id hate for something to happen to them.

0 to none! After they breed keep the hens penned up! This serves 2 purposes the males will stay around the pen, and you won't have to go hunting for the hen's nest! I speak from experience I lost 4 hen's this year. They were just laying. I lost 1 that wAs setting. I also 1 of my males that tried to protect her. I had no problems until they started to lay. I now keep my hen's penned up as long they are laying. i've now got 30 little keets, and I've got a hen laying in the bird house.

 

[MacCana]

0 to none! After they breed keep the hens penned up! This serves 2 purposes the males will stay around the pen, and you won't have to go hunting for the hen's nest! I speak from experience I lost 4 hen's this year. They were just laying. I lost 1 that wAs setting. I also 1 of my males that tried to protect her. I had no problems until they started to lay. I now keep my hen's penned up as long they are laying. i've now got 30 little keets, and I've got a hen laying in the bird house.

Do I pen her up when I notice them begin breeding, or is there a certain month of the year (like next spring sometime?) that I need to do it before they start? See, this is my first time having guineas like this. Growing up they were always pretty much wild & came & went & did as they pleased around the property. Thinking back now, I realize they actually did die out (or they migrated somewhere else) bc we would see fewer until I stopped seeing them at all. Once I do cage her, I assume its 24/7, but is it all year long for now on? That'll determine what size an area I'll make for them. Also, can I just keep my male in with her? They've always been together, so if she gets anxious being alone, i'd like to put him with her. Thanks so much for the advice!