Guinea cocks at war

[GoodGuinea]

Our guinea flock last year had 8 hens and 1 cock. There were four high ranking hens that did and went where they wanted, with the support of the cock. The other 4 hens were still in the flock, but were “fringe” members. The behavior you describe reminds me of how the lowest ranking fringe hen was treated. She was in the flock but had to stay far away, about 20-30 ft. Trying to get them inside to roost at night was tough. None of the fringe girls could enter the coop until the high ranking birds had roosted. The lowest ranking hen had to be forced in over and over at dark, when the other birds couldn’t see her. Nothing I did helped this situation until I added more birds, and the flock dynamic stabilized. Only one of these fringe girls stayed with this cock, still as an outsider. The other fringe hens happily paired off with the new cocks. Now this original subflock just ignores those former fringe hens or forages sociably with them. Even the situation with the last fringe hen is better; she chooses to stay with them and they tolerate her better.

I have always added more guineas when our flock got small, but I don't want to get more right now. I'm planning to transition to chickens. Would adding chickens be similarly helpful in changing the dynamics?

 

[GoodGuinea]

Maybe adding some more roosts and food dishes may help? Even better if they have a barrier between them so there are no lines of sight.
Adding more food dishes would be the most important so the hen can get the food she needs. It will be hard for the male to keep her away from multiple dishes.

I hadn't thought of this, but I did it. I do think it helps, especially for the hen. Thank you!

 

[R2elk]

This would probably help more than anything, but we're not going to continue with the guineas right now, and that would just prolong it. We are planning to transition to chickens. I've never had a mixed flock before, so I don't know if adding chickens would help in the same way adding guineas would. Thoughts?

Adding chickens to a guinea flock is not a good idea and can end up with chickens that are extremely stressed. The only bird that understands a guinea and its behavior is another guinea.