Loose Guinea...

[Skunkmiser]

I bought (3) 6 month old Guineas today and left them locked in hen house with a few new pullets. 4-5 hours later i opened hen house to let older hens in and one new guinea slipped out and flew into the woods. I tried catching it but it was a faster runner than i and kept flying away from me. I think it is bedded down in the leaves on the other side of my fence and under a hemlock tree , it made it's way back closer after i finally gave up the chase (i'm too tired to run after it and it's too dark now). What are the chances it will survive the night and will it ever join the rest of my flock?

 

[Marlinchaser]

I have had some spend the night out, and survive, I would feel better it it was in a tree, but not much you can do about that now.

If it reappears tommorrow ensure the others do not get out, they will call to it, and it should stay close. Do you have them locked up inside? Possible in a dog crate but inside of the coop, so you can leave the door open so the loose one can get in?

 

[Skunkmiser]

I'm not going to let the others out for a day or two. It was calling out to the others but the ones still in hen house but they weren't calling back to him/her too much. We have alot of coyotes around here so am hoping it did make it's way up into a tree. I was hoping it would atleast stay in yard because the coyotes won't come into yard because our large dog. I will keep the other 2 in a cage on the floor of the coop hoping they do call for the lost one....thanks for the advice.

 

[LCwilson]

i would keep them penned up for longer than just a few days.... few weeks maybe.. just to insure they stay around....

 

[TedsFarms]

yes, around 12 wks in the pen as read here in the forum. I had one get out of the processing pen, he would only strut up and down the fence line within range of the guinea coupe. Allow the other guineas to draw it back in.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Keep the ones you have in the coop penned up for at least 3 weeks. Since you do not have any other Guineas (I am guessing) you will loose these too.

If you get lucky the one will make it's way back to the others. They DO NOT like to be alone and if they know there are others of its kind they will eventually try to get back to them.

Keep a light on in the coop right a dusk so the loose one knows where to go. This can be done, it just takes patience and a little time on your part.

Good Luck

 

[Soccer Mom]

I agree with what others have said. It takes weeks, not days to coop train guineas. I also condition mine to feeding at dusk time. They quickly learn that you will bring them food at that time and once released they'll return to have some eats and roost.

 

[Skunkmiser]

Well the other one did come back, but coyotes were looking for something all night in the woods all around perimiter of my property and i think they ate something...maybe a wild turkey or cat. Around 5am my wife heard an animal screaming bloody murder behind a neighbors house (2 houses away). I got up and let hens out, then caught the other 2 Guineas and put them in a small pen outside the coop. They were all calling for each other and about 35 mins later the lost guinea was back in my yard. I then put the small pen into the coop and the loose guinea reluctantly made it's way in to coop, but i couldn't get it into the pen. It has made it's way out a few times but has been going back in to coop to sit by it's "friends". I wish i would have knew it takes weeks to coop train them...

 

[DougD]

Around 5am my wife heard an animal screaming bloody murder behind a neighbors house

Might have been a Fisher cat.​

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Welcome to the world of Guineas. Now that you have a few, you will learn how to care, feed and keep them safe.

They are VERY hardy birds and they will amuse you and take care of any insect problem.

I have over 30 of the buggers and i ABSOLUTELY love them. They are very use to me and some are pretty friendly.

I never raise more than 5 at a time. They are introduced to the rest at age 8 weeks isolated from the rest. Then I let them out 2 weeks later two at a time.

I have a few french Guineas and I would recommend them to any one.

Next year I am getting 5 "jumbo" Guineas.

When there are so many they form a "gaggle" and watch out for each other.