Behavioral issues, bullying

[minaayindra]

Did say I wasnt knowladgeable about them.

I’ve learned that... lol

 

[minaayindra]

In guineas there is typically one that is the top guinea. It is usually best to remove the one that is doing the bullying and not the one being bullied. It is also not a good idea to try to do introductions at night.

The only problem is the most bullying make still has 2 males as backup with her, they are all guilty. As well as the chicken mom.

 

[R2elk]

She is significantly smaller and doesn’t have the wattles. I let them out today and the males postured with each other, but they all still picked on her. For those reasons and the fact that she does a 2-tone call when none of the others do makes me believe she is a female. The chicken hen also runs at her and scares her but not outside today. She was the only one not willing to come back into the coop until I shut everyone inside and threw down white millet. She was distressed over their screaming but she still didn’t come back like they did. Now that these guys are almost 5 months old, how would I get more guineas to introduce them to and how old would they be? I just hope the coop would be big enough for all that and they wouldn’t pick on the momma hen.

You may well be right about it being a hen. At 5 months old, they may not be understanding that she is a hen and may still be displaying juvenile behavior.

If by referring to momma hen you are referring to a chicken hen, I would recommend removing her from the mix as soon as possible. Guinea keets that are imprinted by chickens lose the ability to understand that chickens are not guineas. This can lead to serious problems once the guineas go into their first breeding season. Guineas have unique instinctual manners during breeding season. The chases and the attacks from the back along with the feather pulling and breaking can cause severe distress to chickens.

 

[R2elk]

The only problem is the most bullying make still has 2 males as backup with her, they are all guilty. As well as the chicken mom.

Removing the top male upsets the whole pecking order. It usually causes fights among the lesser males to secure the vacant spot at the top. I recommend that you remove the chicken from the mix as she may be the one causing the others to not behave like proper guineas.

 

[minaayindra]

You may well be right about it being a hen. At 5 months old, they may not be understanding that she is a hen and may still be displaying juvenile behavior.

If by referring to momma hen you are referring to a chicken hen, I would recommend removing her from the mix as soon as possible. Guinea keets that are imprinted by chickens lose the ability to understand that chickens are not guineas. This can lead to serious problems once the guineas go into their first breeding season. Guineas have unique instinctual manners during breeding season. The chases and the attacks from the back along with the feather pulling and breaking can cause severe distress to chickens.

I have really wanted to do that but the only one she gets along with are the guineas. She seems homicidal towards every chicken in 2 different flocks (except the rooster but she attacks his hens). ANOTHER behavioral issue I haven’t been able to solve...

 

[Lilalienangel]

Has she somehow taken top bird?? Maybe she is the one that needs removed for awhile. She might do better with chickens after being lonely for a minute. If I was boss of a flock of wild like birdsI might be pissy over getting moved somewhere new too.

 

[minaayindra]

Has she somehow taken top bird?? Maybe she is the one that needs removed for awhile. She might do better with chickens after being lonely for a minute. If I was boss of a flock of wild like birdsI might be pissy over getting moved somewhere new too.

 

[Lilalienangel]

For real though it sounds like it might help. You can give her (the chicken) a mirror in isolation too. If she isn't use to mirrors the other chicken mirroring her aggression may actually help chill her. A bird that doesnt cower. What kind of chicken is she? Is she use to you? Is she a social or friendly breed? While she is in isolation you can keep her company too. Even if you just sit close to the enclosure and read to her. It gets them use to you so perhaps you might be found as a comfort in new situations that may scare her into being aggressive. Just a thought.

 

[minaayindra]

For real though it sounds like it might help. You can give her (the chicken) a mirror in isolation too. If she isn't use to mirrors the other chicken mirroring her aggression may actually help chill her. A bird that doesnt cower. What kind of chicken is she? Is she use to you? Is she a social or friendly breed? While she is in isolation you can keep her company too. Even if you just sit close to the enclosure and read to her. It gets them use to you so perhaps you might be found as a comfort in new situations that may scare her into being aggressive. Just a thought.

Oh, Goldie does well with humans and comes right to me- it's the other chickens being hurt that you always have to worry about. I have no idea of what breed she might be as a farmer just dumped her off with the guineas, said it was since she had been raising them. She (Goldie) also had a chick of her own and as soon as her chick moved to the other coop with the birds her age, I thought I could try mom in there. Instead Goldie went after her chick the most viciously, and then terrorized everyone else. I had to remove her. She then attacked the birds in the other coop as soon as they came near and she is significantly smaller than them. She does some damage because she grabs them by the neck and has drawn blood. I would guess she isn't a particularly social chicken but still likes me due to my being the font of food.

The one and only chicken she tolerated was my rooster- she immediately squatted and this was before Billy even knew what she was doing! She encountered him once more and didn't bother him but she did go after his very large girlfriend.

So, how do I place her in with other chickens considering all this? The guineas love her to death and they will be very distraught if she goes, so that's another factor. Could she go in with the rooster first or would that be unfair to both of them when I have to bring his current hens in? Will the large hens he lives with go after her and hurt her? I am going to buy yet another coop to try to give the large flock more space and leave their smaller one as a hospital/isolation coop. My yard is now swamped with coops!

And thus I return to the guineas... if I buy 6 more to give them their preferred flock of 10, I'm assuming I have to have 5 males and 5 females. Since I already have 3 males and 1 female I would need to get an additional 2 males and 4 females. I did not encounter a seller who sexed the guineas so I'm not sure- how do I guarantee I get the ratio I need? Also, these guinea guys are now 5 months old. What age guineas am I looking for to keep aggression between everyone at a minimum? I'm really happy if Gracie will survive this experience without losing her mind so I want to get them as soon as I can- but the RIGHT ones. Also, we live in the mountains and it is going to be below freezing for good starting next week. This institutes the other issue of no one being able to get outside their coops <sigh>.

 

[minaayindra]

Removing the top male upsets the whole pecking order. It usually causes fights among the lesser males to secure the vacant spot at the top. I recommend that you remove the chicken from the mix as she may be the one causing the others to not behave like proper guineas.

Please read my last section R2elk, you may have some of these answers.