Guineas and hawks

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Herding guineas when done properly does not cause any stress. I can herd my guineas in at any time of the day. Waiting until too late can cause issues since they don't like to go into dark places. They do learn from repetition. Mine are at the point that all I have to do is tap my long stick on the ground and tell them to get in. It has even become somewhat of a game for them. If I am late getting to the coop, they will all be inside with a lookout watching for me. Once the lookout spots me they will all come back out before I can get to the coop. They then wait near the coop for me to herd them back in.

Lol, that’s a game I don’t want to play R2Elk! And, 30 miles, Southwind??? I didn’t feel that the guy who took my six rehomed guineas really knew what he was getting into; I half expect them to show back up one day... I taught them to go into the coop by herding when they were two months old, but I used the run and coop DOOR. That’s a human sized door, because I didn’t have the Chunnel and automatic door set up yet. They all want to come in by the big door still, but they need to come in the Chunnel, because it’s a big hassle to move the chickens/ducks out and open the big door, and I’m not always home. As a matter of fact, I have a work trip coming up; I made it ridiculously short (one night) because no one else will be getting guineas in without me. Mine find the herding stressful, because I’ve had to nudge them off the coop roof to get them in and that’s taken vigorous encouragement. In and out of the Chunnel all day, until roost time, when they still want their big door.... I added lights to the Chunnel and coop entrance, and maybe was making progress until the rehoming of their leaders. Now it looks like we are back to square 1!

 

[southwind00]

Ha ha Mixed, I never implied your rehomed guineas would pretend they were homing pigeons, but in one of my other threads I started here I was looking for anybodies opinion on guineas sense of direction. From what i have read they can cover miles and still find there way home while being so low to the ground. Maybe guineas do have a bit of magnetoreception in them (sensing magnetic fields) to find there way. As far as your cooping in your chunnel,good luck. I have an upper entrance on top of their run which some have used but mostly they just go in their run door every evening by themselves. We'll see how long this lasts!

 

[BobbyCanada]

Hi Mixed, I'm new to the Guinea world having only 20 or so weeks with my ten birds and I feel your pain. I understand how these crazy birds can get under your skin and that you feel their survival is all dependent on you. I have though been an amateur falconer most of my life always wanting to get my license but never having the time. It started when I was young and had a pigeon coop and raced them as a hobby. It seemed my best birds would always be taken by a Coopers hawk and watching as the flock would be circling the coop for its final descent the hawk would come and blast the pigeon into an explosion of feathers. Chilling , scary but as natural as life it's self. I never really blamed the hawk even though I was super disappointed. I have asked on here a couple times what kind of hawks are getting people's guineas and under what circumstances. I realize some young keets out in the yard are prime dinner for a Coopers hawk and even a Red tail but full grown guineas are twice the size of the typical female Coopers hawk and hardly anything in my experience they would risk in getting injured doing. Redtails are bigger and being more of a small mammal hawk a keet would offer a tempting target but Redtails are way more shy than Coopers and attacking in someone's yard is not there usual way. This all being said I would love to hear from somebody who has had a full grown Guinea taken by a hawk. Hawks don't kill for pleasure and usually eat most of what they kill, unless scared away. Now, Great Horn Owls, they'll take anything that walks or flies and size does not intimidate them. I hope we get more responses, good luck.

I’m in Oklahoma and a large hawk got my last female guinea. My husband jumped a fence and ran into the field to save it, but it was too late. I had two others taken by owls at night (on my security cameras). The hawks here are very big and will carry off a full grown cat!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I’m in Oklahoma and a large hawk got my last female guinea. My husband jumped a fence and ran into the field to save it, but it was too late. I had two others taken by owls at night (on my security cameras). The hawks here are very big and will carry off a full grown cat!

Hi Bobby, sorry to hear about your losses. We are in OKbtoo - Stillwater. I’ve been nervous about hawks and have seen a Cooper’s hawk go for my chicken - what kind got your guinea? We’ve been discussing owl attacks too. Since you have it on camera, did the owl harass you’re guineas off the roof, then catch them in flight? We heard that the owl wants to catch the guinea in flight so will push them off first... I’m getting the guineas in a coop at night, but it’s tough...

 

[KingTorta69]

I feel like a hand-wringer to keep posting about my guineas, but I really appreciate everyone’s help! So, I removed six guineas, leaving a flock of 9 with probably only one, lavender male. After the traumatic capture of the six rehomed guineas, I left the nine remaining penned up (12x14 ft run and 8x6 ft coop) so that they would use the coop a few times to offset any perception that it is dangerous, and so they could rework their new flock dynamics in safety. Planned to start free range again tomorrow AM, after two nights penned. However, came home to a Cooper’s hawk stationed over the coop yesterday. Now I’m afraid to let the guineas out tomorrow. However, keeping them penned with chickens after another predator attack may have contributed to their behavior problems with chickens and ducks. Chickens and ducks are separated from guineas now by wire. So far, guineas have stuck very close to coop when free ranging; coop is at border of forest in one side, prairie on the other, with entry on prairie side. So... how long should I keep guineas penned? Release tomorrow and hope they will be hawk savvy? Or pen for a few weeks and hope the hawk leaves? Note that I’m in Oklahoma, where Coopers and red-tailed hawks are abundant in winter...

Me personaly i wouldent risk my chickens by letting them loose so they can get snatched away, But if you do let them loose i would stay close near them and be very careful but if not best to keep them in the coop.

 

[R2elk]

Hi Bobby, sorry to hear about your losses. We are in OKbtoo - Stillwater. I’ve been nervous about hawks and have seen a Cooper’s hawk go for my chicken - what kind got your guinea? We’ve been discussing owl attacks too. Since you have it on camera, did the owl harass you’re guineas off the roof, then catch them in flight? We heard that the owl wants to catch the guinea in flight so will push them off first... I’m getting the guineas in a coop at night, but it’s tough...

My experience with owls is that they will sidle over to the victim, get right next to them and then reach over and clip the head off.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Me personaly i wouldent risk my chickens by letting them loose so they can get snatched away, But if you do let them loose i would stay close near them and be very careful but if not best to keep them in the coop.

The chickens are not getting out much, but the guineas are here to eat ticks, plus I understand that they need the space and exercise of free range. The guineas are kind of an experiment to see if they can survive our predators while free ranging and if they are able to keep our tick numbers down.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

My experience with owls is that they will sidle over to the victim, get right next to them and then reach over and clip the head off.

Ooh, that’s rather gruesome! We heard that owls will only eat birds in flight, so wondered if that was true. New plan: leave guineas penned up while I’m out of town! They still need coaxing to get up the Chunnel and into in the coop at night

 

[R2elk]

Ooh, that’s rather gruesome! We heard that owls will only eat birds in flight, so wondered if that was true. New plan: leave guineas penned up while I’m out of town! They still need coaxing to get up the Chunnel and into in the coop at night

I have had owls sit in trees while dining on their prey whether it be a mouse, bunny or bird. Why on earth would they force a bird into flight when they already have it captured by cozying up right next to it? Since they eat lots of other prey that cannot fly, the idea that they will only eat birds in flight is definitely not true. The other issue is that they don't eat their prey while in flight.

 

[BobbyCanada]

Hi Bobby, sorry to hear about your losses. We are in OKbtoo - Stillwater. I’ve been nervous about hawks and have seen a Cooper’s hawk go for my chicken - what kind got your guinea? We’ve been discussing owl attacks too. Since you have it on camera, did the owl harass you’re guineas off the roof, then catch them in flight? We heard that the owl wants to catch the guinea in flight so will push them off first... I’m getting the guineas in a coop at night, but it’s tough...

The guineas were asleep in a tree...middle of the night. They won’t fly at night, so they just scooted away from the owl. Once I got the last two used to going in the barn at night, things settled down. The third one was taken by a red tail hawk(?) in broad daylight off the ground! Two other hawks joined in and she was in pieces by the time my husband made it to her....