Guinea talk.

[SunHwaKwon]

A continuation of the mama guinea saga...

Yesterday around 6:30 I started hanging out around the coop to keep an eye on things, both to see if the attacker from yesterday would come back and to watch mama and find out where she would want to head for the night. At 7:10 I decided to go take care of the neighbors goats and chickens a little early so I could make it back before dark. I got back and couldn't find mama and baby, but dad and pearl were standing around the burn pile so I went over to look. Mama had kicked pearl off the nest and taken over it with the baby, and pearl was confused and angry lol. I went and started closing things up, wondering if pearl would give up and go to the coop. Went back to check and Mama was by the pile and pearl was on the nest with the baby. Mama was very upset. I got a stick and started trying to scoot pearl away so I could grab the baby but she kept stepping on it so finally I took a deep breath and grabbed her real quick and snatched the baby. I was sure I was about to be maimed by three guineas but my movement was quick and decisive enough that I managed to avoid pearls talons and beak, and the other two couldn't figure out what was happening.

So, with the baby screaming in my hands I slowly made my way toward the run, stopping long enough for Mama to run my direction. Finally I lured her back to the run and I put the baby in a small cat house that is in the run that I have for an extra nest box (no one ever uses it though). It was starting to get dark so I put my flashlight in there two. Mama and dad ran around and around in the run trying to find her. They kept running up the the nest box but not looking in. Finally mama found her and sat down on her and I reached in real quick and grabbed the flashlight. Dad went up on the roost in the run next to the turkeys, and I went to bed happy after checking on pearl. I felt much better knowing they were in the run for the night.

This morning, events unfolded just as I expected. I didn't open the big coop that has my youngest birds in it because I knew mama would maim them. I fed everyone as normal (I have been fermenting my feed so I have seven dishes that I put out to prevent bullying and fighting). Well, mama doesn't want anyone within 5' of her baby, which meant there was a lot of chasing and biting going on. It was too early to open the run and I didn't want mama taking the baby out on the wet grass either. I had two 4x4 pieces of plywood near the run, and I have a 8x8 annex that comes off of the run. So, I moved the cat house, a waterer, and a feeder with crumble into the annex and put the plywood in front of it to block it off from the rest of the run.The fencing is 6' high so that still leaves a 2' gap over the top for mama and the male to fly in and out but the baby has to stay inside. My hope is that when I open the run up later, they will take turns taking care of baby in the annex. If not, I will have to figure something else out. She was so busy trying to chase off the other birds that she was stepping on the baby, and the baby was obviously cold and needed to snuggle and she wasn't paying any attention to her. I also think mama doesn't bring her to the waterer often enough so this setup should fix that. Using plywood keeps the other birds in the run out of sight, so she can relax and focus on taking care of the baby instead of being preoccupied with charging perceived threats.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Oh, forgot to mention... I loved the satellite map of your place. It gives a good perspective of what you're talking about. You have certainly put a lot of thought into your guinea fowl housing project. What we could do if we could afford a game preserve and create a means to keep all the predators out!

I often fantasize about my ideal property location and setup. I certainly don't mind the foxes and hawks and so on being around and appreciate their role, ecologically, and their beauty. I just wish they'd leave my birds alone!

 

[pattyhen]

Sun I'm glad you got the momma guinea and the baby all settled in now. I hope things go alot smoother for you now.

I searched the search button for how to bath a guinea. No results for bathing guineas. I wonder why surely someone has had the experience of giving them a bath. So I thought I would share the information with all of you. Mary Jane has had a little problem with a poopy but. I think it is because she refuses to perch on the perch she gets up on the plastic carrier at night so then when she goes she sits in it. I will remove the plastic carrier before they go to bed tonight.

So anyway first of all you have to catch the guinea to bring her in. She knew something was up she refused to come to me at all. So I let Spiderman in the house and she can see him in the storm door. I open the door and in she runs. Run a warm bath in the tub with about 6 inches of water. I get a towel out and some dog shampoo and put the shampoo on the side of the tub. Then you have to gently pick up the guinea and walk slowly to the tub. Talk to her softly as you lower her in the tub of water. I will admit that there was a minute of panic on Mary Jane's part but I gently caught her and put her back down in the water. I encouraged her to sit in the water so she could soak that back end a little bit. I put the shampoo on the rag and washed her while she lay there enjoying the warm water. I thought when I stood up she would go into the panic mode again but no she still layed there in the water with her feet all stretched out. Spiderman was in the livingroom and my husband was reassuring him that Mary Jane was fine she was just in the spa for a short while. I had to lift her up out of the water and wrapped her in a towel. She was still laying down in the water totaling enjoying this bath. She sit on my lap for awhile while I dried her with the towel. Spiderman kept checking on her to make sure she was ok. I let them back outside and Mary Jane was preening herself and fluffing up. I really believe that she enjoyed laying in the warm water. My husband said she must be part duck or it maybe the company they keep. They spend alot of time with the ducks outside.

 

[GlennLee]

OH my, you have opened a Guinea Fowl Spa now too, Patti! Those creative juices just keep flowing. I love it! The one injury (and death) that I had 2 months in, I soaked him in warm Epsom salts in a long pail that I use for my window cleaner squeegee. It was perfect and he did the same thing. Just bobbed around. I thought it was because he couldn't fly and I haven't tried it on Hop-a-long Helen, because she CAN fly AND nip AND hiss! Maybe she would do okay with a float. I'll have to think about it. Thank you for sharing your great story. That Corona ointment that
Sun recommended works well on the vent area too.

Here's a posting from one of my FB friends yesterday. I thought it was very pretty and a new one to me.... It's a Gustav Klimt painting entitled, "Garden path with Hens" - maybe we could replace those hens with some Guinea Fowl! We'll get Guineapeeps daughter on it! Have a good day, everyone.

 

[GlennLee]

I think we need to create moveable walls in coops for all of the dividing and conquering we have to do! Sun- it sounds like you have things under control for the time being. A lot of work and a lot of thinking, planning and executing, then starting all over again when the next thing happens. Hang in there!

 

[pattyhen]

Thanks Rhonda it wouldn't be so funny unless you knew the reputation these guineas are suppose to have. Who knew a guinea would enjoy laying down in the warm water. They continue to surprise me with their antics.

I am going to order that corona for her in case she gets that again. With all the flies in the summertime you have to be careful they don't get fly strike. That is a horrible thing to deal with.

Our coop we have for the chickens does have a wall dividing it. It's not moveable but I wish it was. We put it up when we bought the chicks a couple of years ago to keep them seperated from the older birds. It didn't work because he didn't divide the rafters so they just mingled but everything worked out.

The picture is really pretty and I think the guineas would look good walking down that path with the flowers. At least they wouldn't tear the flowers out by the roots like chickens do.

 

[GlennLee]

Happy Friday, everyone!

I take it that we haven't had any terror today? All is quiet in the land of the Guineas. That's a good thing and we'll take it when we can get it. My flock [of now 10] free ranged for 4 hours today - first time out in two days and I was a nervous Nellie. Thankfully everyone came back. My husband was mowing the lawn and I drove the Prius around the property - like I did when they first started free ranging - maybe that helped.

I modified Guineapeeps' wheelbarrow idea and put a tub with some straw on the floor of the coop. Look what I found this morning! I don't know if it will be a strong enough lure to keep them from going broody in the tall grass, but I figured it's worth a try and putting it in now, might get them used to the idea. It would be great if I could get them to lay in the barn / coop in the spring. No guarantees as we know.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone... Peace out.

 

[pattyhen]

Happy Friday to everyone too. I'm glad the freerange went ok with no missing guineas. When are you going to let the 4 new hens join the group? I hope all goes well with the introduction.

That's great they laid eggs in the container. I hope they continue to lay in there. It sure makes it alot easier to collect the eggs. Unless Mary Jane has her eggs hidden I haven't found one for about a week. I hope she has quit laying for the year.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I really like that they laid the eggs in the container, GlennLee. I am already anxious about next spring and when these new guineas start laying. I always want to protect my animals and make sure they live a happy well cared for life and the guineas do everything possible to make that near impossible! Yet another instance where I wish I could talk to animals and say "listen, girls..." though I have a feeling they would either be stubborn or stupid and just not listen anyway lol.

My story since my last posts is both happy and sad. Mama and baby have been in their new little run since the other day. The night that I caught the baby and made the pen for her and mama, pearl was killed and the eggs eaten. So here is the last picture I have of her, from hours before her death.

It did not appear to be a quick death as there were several large piles of feathers throughout the yard. I know my baby monitor reaches that far because two nights later my husband burned the pile and I could hear him and his friend talking by it. So, either she did not call out or I was too deep asleep.

The fox came back the following night and was barking near my bedroom window. I was curious about it so I read up a bit on grey foxes. I thought the barking was mainly during mating season but it said that the babies start going out exploring around now and trying to figure out their future territory for when mating season begins around January, and they bark to keep in touch with each other.

Anyway, the night after pearl was killed I tried to let mama and baby out to free range for a little while, around 6 pm. At 7 instead of going back to the pen she took her baby to the middle of the burn pile. I had to start pulling branches off and then reach in quick and grab the baby and lure mama back to the pen again. That is when I told my husband to go ahead and burn the pile. I know she is unhappy in the pen, but I don't think I'll let her out again for a while. With the burn pile gone now, there is no telling where she will try to take her to nest down for the night. Maybe I need to put a harness on mama and they can have supervised walks for fresh grass and bugs lol. Dad flies in and out of the pen but mama stays put, though if she flew out the baby could squeeze through the fence to be with her. Let's hope they don't figure that out.

Here's the three of them in the pen.

Back to the eggs in the tub, I think I might get one and arch some fencing over it and then weave grass and branches and such through it and see what they think about that. After the first night, mama doesn't want to sleep in the cat house but instead sleeps beside it, so I got a bunch of branches and grass and made a sort of lean to against it for her to hide under. I think they like to feel hidden but able to see out.

 

[pattyhen]

Sun I'm so sorry you lost Pearl. I know she had a wonderful life with you even tho it was to short.

I'm glad Momma and baby are doing well. I think I would keep them in the pen where they are safe until the baby gets older. That is sad you have all that land and they can't freerange safely.

I hope everyone has a nice day and all the birds remain safe.