Adopted by a single Guinea - Need Advise

[aart]

Glad you found it a home.
Wonders if that's where the bird came from to begin with as they are known to wander.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I caught Guinea today!!! Did what Patricia Comer suggested. Took days but Guinea is now save in the cat cage. I placed wind screens on the sides of the cage and added poles for roosting, a light, water and food, Plus a Mirror.

For days Guinea would come hang out and the door on the patio. Go in the cage and eat but not far in the cage. Now the real trick was so Guinea did not see me, you can see thought the screen.

According to the weather today is going to be the last good day for a while. Guinea went in the cage and was hanging out, would sit a little and such. Well I went out bear footed and crawled on the ground keeping lower than the patio. I had to because I tried one time before standing up and Guinea saw me and ran. I slowly worked my way to the patio from the corner of the house, felt like a cat kind of, I slowly made my way to the patio steps. Crawled up the steps, at that time my husband was coming up the farm lane and could see me, he said I looked crazy. I hugged the patio with a really low profile sneaking up to the door and pushed it shut...... I had screen on the door so Guinea could not see me coming that easily. Guinea ran all the way in the cage then, it is 4 by 8 feet.

I opened the bottom of the doors screen so Guinea can see out as it has been doing and left. I figured enough for now, let Guinea get settled. I will come visit later. But the whole thing was not as stressful on Guinea and me to catch Guinea this way. I now have to worry about the upcoming weather and getting some better sides on the cage. But I do not have to worry about Guinea getting eaten and not having shelter. I am so happy.

I will start checking with the farmers around us and see if any have Guinea's so I can find Guinea a life long home.

I just caught up on this thread today. Congratulations on catching your lonely guinea and on finding her a flock! Great job!!!

 

[OhDebra]

Now whatcha gonna do with it?

I found Guinea a home with someone that has 5 other Guinea's.

 

[aart]

I found Guinea a home with someone that has 5 other Guinea's.

Yeah, saw that earlier

 

[KirbyH]

I would not encourage the bird to come inside. I am living with a four and a half month old guinea in my house and she screeches, flies and generally causes a commotion, that is when she’s not being affectionate. This bird outside is indeed lonely and if you can trap it using bait, proso (white) millet is the best, you should and then find someone with a flock to take it. Maybe find someone with a flock first. Knowing how social these birds are, I can imagine how freaked out it is but also how incapable it is of appreciating your efforts to help it. I’m trying to acclimate the local flock to my bird which is why I’m prowling Backyard Chickens today for information. Good luck and thank you for caring about a bird that is quirky, loud, and sometimes mean. A solitary guinea is heartbreaking.

 

[KirbyH]

That is wonderful news and how fantastic you found a kind person to take the bird.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I would not encourage the bird to come inside. I am living with a four and a half month old guinea in my house and she screeches, flies and generally causes a commotion, that is when she’s not being affectionate. This bird outside is indeed lonely and if you can trap it using bait, proso (white) millet is the best, you should and then find someone with a flock to take it. Maybe find someone with a flock first. Knowing how social these birds are, I can imagine how freaked out it is but also how incapable it is of appreciating your efforts to help it. I’m trying to acclimate the local flock to my bird which is why I’m prowling Backyard Chickens today for information. Good luck and thank you for caring about a bird that is quirky, loud, and sometimes mean. A solitary guinea is heartbreaking.

Wow - an indoor guinea! That does sound like a troublemaker! I see that you are trying to integrate it; are you integrating with a chicken or guinea flock?

 

[KirbyH]

Wow - an indoor guinea! That does sound like a troublemaker! I see that you are trying to integrate it; are you integrating with a chicken or guinea flock?

I am trying to integrate her into a guinea flock of 15 members. As I observe, they seem to break out into two groups, one with 4 or 5, hang around the coop that Popeye (that’s her name) occupies in the daytime. They seem friendly enough but some of the birds are absolutely hostile. I’m not going to free her until she looks adult so for now, dusk to dawn, I’m living with a 2 lb feathered football who flies, screeches when I’m on the phone or in a lively conversation, follows me from room to room, tries to groom our dog, mournfully calls when she sees me in the house from her coop, lands on my head, arm or shoulder and likes classical music, my LL Bean flocked jacket, and having her neck rubbed. I have learned a lot about Guineas from this experience but I have little idea how her instincts will kick in if she is really on her own. How I can best prepare her for that or if that effort is futile. Wish me luck!

 

[R2elk]

How I can best prepare her for that or if that effort is futile. Wish me luck!

The less you interact with her, the better it will be for her in the long run.