Do Guineas forget their lost mate?

BuckarooBites

Hatching
Aug 17, 2021
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1
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I had two adult Guineas that were born on my property but they were taken by the parents across the street and the owner raised them in a pen for me for 5 weeks I kept them in a coop for 6 weeks so they knew there home. they had 19 babies. really great parents at 7 weeks i open the coop. the first 3 days they hung out on my property as one unit dirt baths everything. the parents guarded them as the babies were in shrubs getting away from the Florida heat. Two nights ago only 6 babies came home. i saw the rest across the street but they would not come home. the next day, i saw them and the babies would cross the street but the male would not and then the babies would go back. as it turns out the mom and one baby were hacked. the male has been crazy looking for her. he finally brought th rest of the babies back. i have them in their coop but wonder if he will try and go back across the street looking for her. the neighbors have new babies as well and are releasing them this weekend. i am fairly concerned that i will lose them. Do adults forget their loss? How much time do you think i should keep them in their coop before tyring to let them out again. I noticed how much healthier the babies looked from being free range Thanks all of you!!
 
Hacked as in stolen or killed? How they mourn seems to be as individual as how we do it. The first one I lost, the male was young & didn't seem to notice, but the sister kept going to the nest site for months, calling.
When he got older, his 2nd mate disappeared, it seemed to affect him differently-he wandered around calling for her. When he stopped, he started guarding my remaining hen on her nest (not his mate), positioning himself so he was looking right at her. He now wants to co-parent with the couple, and they let him.
Previously I've done it differently; I've had small #s so would take them out in the yard to play under supervision then back in the run rather than keeping them locked up all the time. This worked well for me.
I have 22 in the coop right now that I'm letting the parents raise so far. They don't let them out of coop. They're 5 days old, she just started letting them go into attached run yesterday. She hasn't come out of run since I put her and the hatchlings in there. She can, she just doesn't- and the male doesn't stay out for long.(I make the 3rd wheel male come out with an older set of keets and he supervises them).
I think if I were you I'd retrain them, because it doesn't sound like they learned to come home. But if there's a female over there, Papa may go looking for a replacement.
 
Hacked as in stolen or killed? How they mourn seems to be as individual as how we do it. The first one I lost, the male was young & didn't seem to notice, but the sister kept going to the nest site for months, calling.
When he got older, his 2nd mate disappeared, it seemed to affect him differently-he wandered around calling for her. When he stopped, he started guarding my remaining hen on her nest (not his mate), positioning himself so he was looking right at her. He now wants to co-parent with the couple, and they let him.
Previously I've done it differently; I've had small #s so would take them out in the yard to play under supervision then back in the run rather than keeping them locked up all the time. This worked well for me.
I have 22 in the coop right now that I'm letting the parents raise so far. They don't let them out of coop. They're 5 days old, she just started letting them go into attached run yesterday. She hasn't come out of run since I put her and the hatchlings in there. She can, she just doesn't- and the male doesn't stay out for long.(I make the 3rd wheel male come out with an older set of keets and he supervises them).
I think if I were you I'd retrain them, because it doesn't sound like they learned to come home. But if there's a female over there, Papa may go looking for a replacement.
Thank you so much for the insight. the adults always came home. infact most of the neighbors come here. before i had my own 4 or 5 nested in my bushes. when my babies were born i tried to get them in the coop - their were crows all over them and an adult from across the street came over to help them. i probably humanize the whole deal but i thought that was pretty cool
i will spend some more time to train. i will let a few out and put them back.

Thanks!!
 
Hacked as in stolen or killed? How they mourn seems to be as individual as how we do it. The first one I lost, the male was young & didn't seem to notice, but the sister kept going to the nest site for months, calling.
When he got older, his 2nd mate disappeared, it seemed to affect him differently-he wandered around calling for her. When he stopped, he started guarding my remaining hen on her nest (not his mate), positioning himself so he was looking right at her. He now wants to co-parent with the couple, and they let him.
Previously I've done it differently; I've had small #s so would take them out in the yard to play under supervision then back in the run rather than keeping them locked up all the time. This worked well for me.
I have 22 in the coop right now that I'm letting the parents raise so far. They don't let them out of coop. They're 5 days old, she just started letting them go into attached run yesterday. She hasn't come out of run since I put her and the hatchlings in there. She can, she just doesn't- and the male doesn't stay out for long.(I make the 3rd wheel male come out with an older set of keets and he supervises them).
I think if I were you I'd retrain them, because it doesn't sound like they learned to come home. But if there's a female over there, Papa may go looking for a replacement.
the other horrible piece about the two gone -- i found feathers -- i texted the neighbors about my guines at there place. they knew they were there - they took pictures. they saw one walking down the street at 6am and did not tell me until i mentioned i found the feathers. they are wild, loss is part of the farm life but it really tears me apart that i or someone could have possible changed the course.
 

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