Continuing Saga of Evil Guineas

[KCNC06]

Hi all!

I've come to the conclusion that my guineas are just plain evil. After talking with an expert (literally, the State Director of Animal Health Programs - Poultry) about my guineas being mean to my chickens I've found out that this isn't an uncommon complaint.

I really thought that I had resolved the issues though, the guineas wanted to sleep on the roof of the coop so I let them. Now my poor little hens will go into the coop on their own most nights. The guineas were picking on the chickens during the day, so the chickens would just leave the pen during the day and have free run of the yard. Things we working out wonderfully for us.

Now our first chicken hen has started laying and I swear the guineas are being extra nasty to her lately. I can't figure it out. The guinea hens aren't laying yet. I'm 99% sure I saw one of the guineas attempting to molest my poor hen yesterday though!!! She was pinned to the ground and her feathers were all ruffled. As soon as I swatted the guinea with a stick she (the chicken) took off running. The chickens don't like the guineas, they try to avoid them. The guineas will actually head butt the chickens...the put their heads down and charge at the chickens exactly like a goat would!

Besides offering my guineas as supper for anyone interested, is there any way to prevent them from assaulting my poor chickens?!? I'm not particularly fond of the guineas. They're not friendly, they're loud and mine seem to be "duds"...they have zero ability to hunt/catch bugs and they eat every bit of anything green that they can get their beaks on. We got them as keets when I believed the pro guinea propaganda about how great they are at controlling the tick population and eating the bugs in your gardens without eating the plants. I no longer believe such pro guinea claims.

The chickens on the other hand are as sweet as sweet can possibly be. They run across the yard to me whenever they see me come out of the house because they think I'm going to hunt for bugs for them and hand feed them. Which I usually end up doing because their adorable faces are just too cute to say no to.

 

[Guitartists]

Oh,I'm so sorry to hear about your Guinea issues

I have 2 males and a hen..... They do bowl my chickens over from time to time... but most of mine have learned to just stay out of their way when they're feeling rowdy. If both males survive the winter I will probably eat one since 2 rowdy male Guineas is 1 too many

Mine aren't too bad, but they were raised with the chickens and I do have quite a few roos that help keep them in line. Mine usually roost in the coop with the chickens at night.... and they hang out together for the most part..... mostly with their selves and their brooder mates that are the same age.

I wish I had some advice on how to calm them down for you.... I do have to say that since we released them into the yard... we have NO ticks! So I do believe they help control the ticks for sure. Maybe yours just have a different interest than foraging

Good luck! I hope you figure out a resolution.

 

[TK Poultry]

wow my mom wants guineas but i said no b/c of the noise my grandma had a blue million of them when i was younger but i dont remember them being mean guess ill have to tell her no............sorry to hear about that guineas are really pretty!

 

[KCNC06]

Ours are pied lavender, actually quite pretty when they're not being nasty.

I do think that the two males are the biggest part of the problem. Especially the lead male, he's aggressive towards everyone. I've let them out into the yard the past couple days and just don't think they understand the concept of eating bugs. They pretty much just run around yelling and eating bits of grass or whatever else is growing in the yard.

No one else around here has any sort of birds, I'm starting to wonder what the neighbors must really think about us! They claim they don't mind...but who knows.