Guinea attacked by dog/7 left/ will they be ok in confinement?

[Hope Frazier]

This morning my group of 8 guineas wondered two blocks away from my home and 1 was attacked by a dog. I wrapped it in a towel and put it in a cage with some water. It seems to just have a gash on its back but no bones seem to be broken. I did not want to mess with it too much as it was starting to get agitated. Should I put antibiotics in its water or just electrolytes? what about pain medication? Any advice would be appreciated. I had to go to work today so I will have to hope for the best until I get home at about 6.
My second question is about the other 7. Do guineas do well in confinement? I would hate to have to butcher them but it does not seem like I have a choice if they are just going to get picked off by dogs. I was thinking of building a chicken tractor for them out of pallets i have lying around so I can continuously move them around. I have no idea how to build one but if any one has ideas or pictures I would appreciate that help as well. Thank you in advance!!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

hi, guineas are funny about meds. i think i would start with some triple antibiotic on the wound dont use the kind with pain reliever its toxic. as far as keeping them away from the dogs, you know they are going to wander. maybe a dog kennel with wire top so they cant fly out?? you can always pick grass for them, i do. their smart critters, maybe they learned their lesson??

 

[Hope Frazier]

Unfortunately, the guinea that was attacked passed away. I guess she/he had more internal trauma than I thought. For now, i think I am going to keep them in my open coop I keep the geese in at night. It has a roof. Im going to attempt to either make a portable coop for them so they can continously graze and "wander" in confinement.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

aww, im sorry bout that. do you have males and females?? maybe in no time you will be over run

 

[Hope Frazier]

I have no idea. I got them July 25, 2013. I have not had guineas since I was a kid and they got picked off one by one, too, before we could sex them. Are they old enough to have any distinguishing characteristics or to start layig eggs?

 

[Granny Hatchet]

yes, the sound they make. the females make a two syllable sound like buck-wheat, and the males only one. as they age the males will have bigger , thicker waddles then the hens and will turn upwards instead of hanging down. the males are way more funnier and protective and friendly

 

[Hope Frazier]

Do you think they will do fine in a confinement lifestyle? There are only 7 of them and I would hate to have to butcher them. I started out with 16 but my husband and I agreed that was too many for us. I just don't want them to be miserable and I had originally wanted them for insect control.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

its not an ideal place for them but it will keep them alive. i bought mine for the same reason and i dont really think i would want to keep them if they couldnt eat the ticks. but i dont know. they are very hard to clean and all dark meat.

 

[Hope Frazier]

I found them easy to clean and a good meal for the slow cooker. Mabe Ill just reduce them to 4, 1 male 3 females.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

well, i dont know how they tasted because after i brought it in and everyone seen how black it was no one wanted it. it seemed a lot harder to me then chicken. took longer to stop twitching feathers were harder to pluck. maybe i did it wrong?