9 Guineas flew into field..5 mins later 8 flew back

[Musiccake]

I have /had 9 Guineas I raised from 1 week. They are 14 weeks old and free range in the day and come home at night. I have 20 acres. Five which is mowed. We are surrounded by overgrown field to our right and woods in front.
This am our 9 guines flew into the field. 5 minutes later 8 come flying back in total disorder and went straight to their coop. They was no noise or squawking..I went to the overgrown field to listen for the missing Guinea. No evidence of a preditor. The remaining Guineas have not called out to their missing sister fowl. Why no ruckus? What could have happened. We were watching the whole time...the remaining 8 are going in and out of their coop. Any suggestions as to what might have happened? I'm so broken hearted.
I have 2 males rest females.

 

[KYHILLCHICKENS]

They love to perch and fly. Have you looked high? In a tree or such

 

[ocap]

sometimes the best teacher for my guineas is a painful or scary teacher.

 

[R2elk]

I have /had 9 Guineas I raised from 1 week. They are 14 weeks old and free range in the day and come home at night. I have 20 acres. Five which is mowed. We are surrounded by overgrown field to our right and woods in front.
This am our 9 guineas flew into the field. 5 minutes later 8 come flying back in total disorder and went straight to their coop. They was no noise or squawking..I went to the overgrown field to listen for the missing Guinea. No evidence of a preditor. The remaining Guineas have not called out to their missing sister fowl. Why no ruckus? What could have happened. We were watching the whole time...the remaining 8 are going in and out of their coop. Any suggestions as to what might have happened? I'm so broken hearted.
I have 2 males rest females.

Just because you did not see a predator does not mean there wasn't a predator. Your event description implies that one of your guineas was taken by a predator which frightened the rest of them into returning home.

Guineas really aren't good predator alarms. They often sound off for reasons known only to them. They don't necessarily sound off during a predator attack.

I have had my guineas alarm simply because I am approaching from an unexpected direction. I have had them not make a sound when standing right beside a live trap that contains either a skunk or raccoon. They just stand there craning their necks and looking on silently.

 

[Musiccake]

sometimes the best teacher for my guineas is

 

[Musiccake]

I hope they learned. I just dont understand why no racket.
I did look up in tree but still no calling out to each other.

 

[ValerieJ]

One is missing and the others are scared. That sounds like a predator attack to me. Do you have snakes where you are?

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC - sorry for the circumstances. Whereas Guinea fowl will alarm at a strange object in the yard or something harmless like a box turtle, I have seen them go absolutely mute after a predator attack. My gut says something took one of your birds. Be on guard now that 'it' has located a food source it will be back.

 

[woodmort]

This happens so often. I have free-ranged over 25 guineas in the last 5 years and am down to 1. In that time I've found one body. They are stupid when it comes to predators and self-preservation. I once drove off a fox that was surrounded by squawking guineas before he selected his dinner. And I'm sure we have some very well-fed owls in the area as, when the guineas decide to spend the night in the trees, there are usually 1 or 2 missing the next day.

 

[sourland]

Have there been any more problems ?