Could guinea be nesting at this time of year?

[MIChickandGuinea]

I know what you mean. I TRY to do the same without worrying- let them free range and hope for natural reproduction to sustain the flock to control ticks and insects. It's hard not to worry though and we have had to change things up a bit to keep the flock safe from predators or I should say safer from predators. Free ranging negates some of the safety factor. How many guineas do you have?

We have 11 guineas. We started with 12, but one of them got mysteriously ill or injured, and was unable to keep up with the flock. It lingered on for two months, not getting better, but also not getting worse. It stayed at the guinea shelter while the others ranged out. We made sure it could reach food and water, and it was just kind of hanging in there ... I think it might have been OK even still, except one of my dad's hunting dogs got loose ate my poor sick bird :-( I am quite surprised that we haven't had other predator losses, because we do live quite remotely and we do see lots of fox, hawks, and other bird-biters. We have a neighbor who has had a flock of guineas or several years and she says they just don't get bothered by predators. Not sure why ...

 

[GlennLee]

That's a good size flock and they are fun to watch as a group. So sorry that you lost one. It doesn't matter how many you have, it's always difficult when one dies and it's too bad about the dog getting after that. It's good to hear that you don't have a problem with the predators and I hope that continues for you.

We started with a flock of 16 last year. One died of a coop injury and we think one was hit by a car. We had 13 taken by predators; we know fox, coyote and hawk. It's very frustrating when that happens and the flock just starts to fall apart before your eyes. So, I'm glad to hear that that probably won't be happening to you.

Are the dogs usually out? My neighbor has a large flock of chickens, but she has two collies that will bark and chase. Just wondering if that makes up for some of the difference. Animal behavior interests me and I wonder what it is that the predators leave your flock alone.

Our problems with predation didn't start until mid to late fall last year and then returned in the spring - probably for food for their litters. It happens during the day and usually about the same time once we have it pinpointed. Again - following behavior. Our danger with hawks increase during the fall migration as well. We have open runs cut into our tall grass for monitoring and shooting if necessary and put up a removable electric fence to use for short spurts during the day if needed and to leave on at night, just in case. It will come down for the winter. So far with the new flock, no one has been taken....

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

I can't say with any certainty that we won't have predator problems. I don't know why our neighbor hasn't had issues, because we do most definitely have predators around here. But ... so far, so good. Maybe with our huge wild turkey, rabbit, squirrel, and chipmunk populations, the predators just have so much to choose from that no single species gets hit too hard? Or maybe we just haven't gotten to the time of year when the predators are hunting for tasty, fat, silly birds? But I have a friend just about 40 minutes north of me whose guineas have all been wiped out by daytime predators. She started with 8 and has none left.

Oh - my dad's dogs are usually fenced, but they do bark and warn when something comes through the property. I have little dogs who are out and loose quite often, but I can't imagine that they are any deterrent to predators. I actually worry that they are BAIT for predators, since my "large dog" is 10 pounds and the small one is only 5 pounds.

 

[GlennLee]

Yes, it doesn't take long once they start. We had 3 taken by a fox in one day. They are quite brazen and come close to the house and I did a face to face with a fox, but was able to scare it away. Within the week, it met it's demise. Makes me a bit nervous when they get so bold.

We have a ton of rabbits and chipmunks here as well. I just think my birds are easier and when they hear the flock, it's like a dinner bell ringing for the buffet to begin.

At this point, I'm carrying double the amount of guineas I need or want and a two to one ratio of females to males for breeding. Now watch - I won't lose any and I'll have hundreds next year. I wish that were true, but somehow I don't think it will be the ending to this story.

Sorry to hear that your friend lost her 8.

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

Yes, it doesn't take long once they start. We had 3 taken by a fox in one day. They are quite brazen and come close to the house and I did a face to face with a fox, but was able to scare it away. Within the week, it met it's demise. Makes me a bit nervous when they get so bold.

We have a ton of rabbits and chipmunks here as well. I just think my birds are easier and when they hear the flock, it's like a dinner bell ringing for the buffet to begin.

At this point, I'm carrying double the amount of guineas I need or want and a two to one ratio of females to males for breeding. Now watch - I won't lose any and I'll have hundreds next year. I wish that were true, but somehow I don't think it will be the ending to this story.

Sorry to hear that your friend lost her 8.

Yes - I got 12 guineas because I had read that you want a flock of at least 8 in order for them to thrive. I figured that if I got 12, I'd have a better chance of maintaining a group of 8. We shall see how they fare through the tough coming months. We don't have a "coop" for them, but instead a very tall shelter with high perches and a clear PVC roof. The idea is for them to have a safe place to get up and out of the wind/rain/snow and for the perches to be high enough to get them up out of the easy reach of foxes and dogs, with the roof there to protect them from overhead predators like hawks and owls. We read that they don't like to be confined in a small/low/dark space, so we tried to build with their preferences in mind. The funny thing is that when our chickens are out free-ranging and their coop and pen are open, the first thing the guineas do is head into the chicken coop and hang out for an hour or so ...

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

Haha! JUST this morning, I found three whole eggs and one shell-less egg like our chickens sometimes lay when they are brand-new layers and not quite fully up and running. The guineas have been just dropping them in goofy random places in the vegetable garden.

 

[GlennLee]

Oh so there you have it! They have been laying eggs... Sneaky little birds! Well, I hope you still have all of them come spring. If we could wish them safe we would. It sounds like they have a nice shelter. Do you get much snow? How do your chickens do in the winter? My guineas have been sketchy with snow and this is my first winter with chickens. I've had them not want to go out of the coop or if they do, they fly to a tree and just get stuck there. Crazy birds!

 

[MIChickandGuinea]

Oh so there you have it! They have been laying eggs... Sneaky little birds! Well, I hope you still have all of them come spring. If we could wish them safe we would. It sounds like they have a nice shelter. Do you get much snow? How do your chickens do in the winter? My guineas have been sketchy with snow and this is my first winter with chickens. I've had them not want to go out of the coop or if they do, they fly to a tree and just get stuck there. Crazy birds!

We do get a lot of snow most winters ... We haven’t had chickens or guineas through a winter yet; we are new!! The chicken pen has a cover over most of it so that they should have a snow-free place to exercise and socialize. The guineas ... our neighbor says hers just don’t much seem to mind the snow. So we shall see.

 

[GlennLee]

I think I jinxed myself. I thought my female was done laying for the season and then I found her singing in the barn - that could only mean a nest of eggs! Yes, after she left I went in to inspect and she has a lovely nest going there and one of the Rhode Island Reds is adding to the nest as well! Just when you think you have them figured out, they throw you another curve ball.

I hope your guineas do well in the snow. I had to do search and rescue several times last year. They like to go to the neighbors to clean out the bird seed under her feeders. They get there by going down the side of the road. Coming back they go along the hedge row and if the snow is deep, they get stuck. I use pool noodles to encourage them to keep moving. All I could do was picture having to carry each one back to the coop! Fortunately, we were able to slog through the snow to make it back.