Brutal attack on one of their own.

[duluthralphie]

I have 15 guinea, tonight as we were trying to get them into their coop, one flew down off the roof into the group. The group immediately attacked him. At first I thought one had a worm or mouse and they were fighting over it.

There was nothing there. They simply beat this other guinea nearly to death. Even when I tried to break it up and get the beaten one out a couple attacked it.

Is this normal? Why would they attack one of their own? They have lived together as a flock for 2 months now. I had 5 and added 10, I have no idea which is which. They are all about 5-6 months old.

They are normally so comical and fun to watch, this was neither.

 

[sourland]

I have never been able to figure out Guinea fowl. They at times show a gang mentality and just go nuts for no apparent reason. Any bird that becomes their 'target' is in trouble.

 

[duluthralphie]

That's exactly what it looked like a gang/mob mentality with no regard for the victim.

 

[duluthralphie]

I released the beaten guinea from the hospital this morning. As soon as it went to the other guineas, they began beating the crap out of it again.


I am afraid if they do not kill it, I will have to, and eat it.

Weird birds.

 

[sourland]

Weird indeed - once they start a vendetta they can be relentless.

 

[gguineasfamily]

I've had my guineas turn against each other too. Seems like this one had a bad downfall. Did he used to be near the top of the pecking order? A seperate coop for him where he can see the others should do for a few weeks. I have put up permanent partitions in my coop to minimise fighting inside.

 

[duluthralphie]

I've had my guineas turn against each other too. Seems like this one had a bad downfall. Did he used to be near the top of the pecking order? A seperate coop for him where he can see the others should do for a few weeks. I have put up permanent partitions in my coop to minimise fighting inside.

I have no idea if he was the top or bottom of the pecking order because, honestly, to me they all look alike. I put him/her in with the chickens. He was out in the run this morning talking to the free range guinea fowl. I assume he was a he because he was not saying buckwheat or Go Back...

It was amazing how fast he fell out of favor. One minute he was with the group then he separated for 15 seconds and was an outcast. I thought maybe he insulted one of them.

 

[alisa53]

Unfortunately, they do that. Cannibalism occurs in this species. We've had it happen at least twice - they nearly killed a couple of our males during mating season. Tight spaces tend to promote that, but it can happen regardless. We just end up quarantining the bird in question both times, and both re-integrated after a while. We gave one to a neighbor, but he escaped his bird house there and came back. When he did, we renamed him "James Bond," because he was just too cool to show any interest in the others, and eventually they all wanted him to be their best friend.

 

[duluthralphie]

Unfortunately, they do that. Cannibalism occurs in this species. We've had it happen at least twice - they nearly killed a couple of our males during mating season. Tight spaces tend to promote that, but it can happen regardless. We just end up quarantining the bird in question both times, and both re-integrated after a while. We gave one to a neighbor, but he escaped his bird house there and came back. When he did, we renamed him "James Bond," because he was just too cool to show any interest in the others, and eventually they all wanted him to be their best friend.

Good name!

I have had mine in the chicken run since the incident. It is weird all the other guineas now congregate outside the run and hang out with the bird in the run. I am thinking of letting him out some night. I thought I would just take him from inside the coop where he roosts and put him on the top of the run where the others roost. Hopefully, in the morning they will not realize he was not there the day before with them.