Feathers, but not sure if guinea is missing...

Dinosaur Village Keeper

Songster
5 Years
Sep 13, 2019
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We do not have any guinea, but we fenced in 1.25 acres of our yard with a special cat fence (deer fence, curved in like a prison, 3 feet of hardwire on the bottom). As we were building it, the neighbors adult Guineas kept getting in. After the fence was built, we noticed that they would fly out sometimes and then fly back in, but one was always stuck inside. She would cry a lot and then later on we would see two in the fenced area again. A couple of times we saw them slam against the fence when trying to fly out (we never noticed feathers on the ground from this). We really didn’t pay that much attention, but enjoyed going out at night to watch them walk around the trees for a time and then fly up to roost.

One night as we sat on the deck watching them stroll around before roosting into the trees, one seemed to disappear. We had gotten busy chatting so we were baffled as to where the one went. The remaining one started yelling and then flew up into the tree and screamed and screamed for the other one who was apparently gone. We figured the other one flew out just before bedtime and ran home across the street. The next day, we forced the sad lone guinea out. A couple of days later, we found a pile of feathers by the fence. I would say maybe 20 or 30 feathers. Do you think these feathers would come from slamming in the fence repeatedly in the same place, or stress from being alone, or is it likely the one was eaten by something just before bedtime with us right there? Not a trace of bird or blood. I did see a baby possum in our fenced area a few days prior. Not sure if it squeezed in through the 1 1/2 inch fencing or if it was fenced in as we built it.

We are in the process of getting chickens. We want to put them in a coup at night but let them free range in the fenced area all day. Now I am thinking maybe we should not get chickens at all. We have already paid for seven very large full-grown chickens to be picked up when our coop is finished. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. The only thing we do not want to do is build a huge run. It is really important to us that our chickens have a lot of freedom, but I don’t want them eaten!
 
We do not have any guinea, but we fenced in 1.25 acres of our yard with a special cat fence (deer fence, curved in like a prison, 3 feet of hardwire on the bottom). As we were building it, the neighbors adult Guineas kept getting in. After the fence was built, we noticed that they would fly out sometimes and then fly back in, but one was always stuck inside. She would cry a lot and then later on we would see two in the fenced area again. A couple of times we saw them slam against the fence when trying to fly out (we never noticed feathers on the ground from this). We really didn’t pay that much attention, but enjoyed going out at night to watch them walk around the trees for a time and then fly up to roost.

One night as we sat on the deck watching them stroll around before roosting into the trees, one seemed to disappear. We had gotten busy chatting so we were baffled as to where the one went. The remaining one started yelling and then flew up into the tree and screamed and screamed for the other one who was apparently gone. We figured the other one flew out just before bedtime and ran home across the street. The next day, we forced the sad lone guinea out. A couple of days later, we found a pile of feathers by the fence. I would say maybe 20 or 30 feathers. Do you think these feathers would come from slamming in the fence repeatedly in the same place, or stress from being alone, or is it likely the one was eaten by something just before bedtime with us right there? Not a trace of bird or blood. I did see a baby possum in our fenced area a few days prior. Not sure if it squeezed in through the 1 1/2 inch fencing or if it was fenced in as we built it.

We are in the process of getting chickens. We want to put them in a coup at night but let them free range in the fenced area all day. Now I am thinking maybe we should not get chickens at all. We have already paid for seven very large full-grown chickens to be picked up when our coop is finished. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. The only thing we do not want to do is build a huge run. It is really important to us that our chickens have a lot of freedom, but I don’t want them eaten!
Based on the behavior of the remaining guinea and the size of the pile of feathers, my guess is that the missing guinea was taken by a predator.
 
I've just been through this and it could be either. My one was taken in front of me and feathers were everywhere and two couldnt get over a fence for hours while I was at work and there was a giant feather mess as well.

You will seldom see bodies because at night the prey will take them away.

After one of mine is killed all the birds go very quiet and seemingly mourn or maybe just terrified.

Going through the same exact bs.

Hope she turns out okay!
 
Thank you for your replies! I will never know if the Guinea is OK because it was the neighbors. They have so many that roam everywhere that they probably would not know either. I did go ahead and get eight chickens that are grown already and hopefully they will be safe at my house. :)
 

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