guinea psychology and nite behavior

[artsyrobin]

my guineas usually sleep in the tree next to the chicken run- we've never lost one- so about midnite last nite they abandon their tree and sit on the ground by the run chittering in their quiet 'we don't like this' voice, i eventually get them into the locked run for their safety- the odd thing - they usually don't want to be handled- in this case, i was able to pet each one, and gently push them to the run- i was even able to pick one up- very rare- our temps have been cold- about 20 degrees, thurs and fri the night temps will be about 0, any suggestions on their behavior? is it due to cold? should i try to rig up a shelter for them? there isn't room in the coop... i even thought of a heat lamp to encourage them to stay on the porch

 

[hikerchick]

I have guineas and they are all psycho so I don't try to account for their behavior. In the summer they roosted in the carport; now they prefer life in the garage at night and free roaming during the day.

 

[artsyrobin]

what i am hoping is they will decide to sleep in the run at nite, at least they are somewhat protected there- hubby and i decided we don't need tv, all we need for comic relief is to watch those guineas...

 

[Lollipop]

Robin, I would like to see some comments on this also as it happened exactly like that to my flock about 2 months ago. They were 4 months old at the time and the weather was just getting cold. Also, we had a big moon then. Someone ventured that it takes six of them to make one brain. I had 19 at the time and I`m wondering if it doesn`t take 20 to make a brain.......Pop

 

[Oblio13]

Quote:
I didn't even know they had brains.

 

[artsyrobin]

they made it through the nite- i guess i watch too much science programs, and try to grasp their thinking...

 

[Oblio13]

Quote:
Good luck with that. If you opened up a guinea's skull - and I'm not suggesting for a moment that you should - inside you would find just a buzz, like a bee in a bottle, attached to a large screech lobe.

 

[mamaKate]

I have 1 guinea who was raised by an EE. He's bigger than she is now but still hides his head under her feathers when he's upset. Last night I brought my small flock onto the back porch because I didn't want to deal with the details of getting them to bed in this exceptional cold. All except Jeffrey. He bolted when my son tried to bring him in. After several minutes of guinea chasing, it seemed logical to wait till the calming effects of darkness settled him down. I went back out about an hour later and I could hear him guinea "purring" but he wasn't where the sound seemed to be coming from. I fetched my son to take advantage of his superior directional hearing. We looked all along the back of the house and then finally..up. Guinea on the roof. Thank God for teenage agility. I think he was trying to get to his "mom" who was inside the porch.

 

[Akane]

All birds are calmer at night so that's normal. Some that wouldn't let me within 10' of them during the day can be picked up off the roosts at night. As for not wanting to be in the tree who knows.... It could be a predator, cold, the moon, some weird shadow.... 20F isn't cold for a guinea but if they are young and not used to it then it's possible they wanted somewhere warmer. Mine spent several of their first nights in the trees until we got a cold thunderstorm. They stayed in the coop for weeks after that before some tried to roost on the roof of the coop again. They are no longer here. The great horned owl stakes out the place every night now. The remainder, which is not many, have decided to go back to sleeping in the coop rather than on the roof and trees in temps around 0F with an owl stalking them.

 

[artsyrobin]

this is there first winter, tonite they checked out the run, then went to their usual roost- so i left the door open for them- its going to get bitter cold tonite, so i hope they do ok.

mamakate- love the images that brings to mind! sometimes i think folks forget these little guys have feelings and associations, obvious from your little guy- would love to see a pic of him and his adopted mom..

we haven't lost any to predators, would feel better if they'd stay in the run at nite, so am giving them that option-