Guineas bullying my chickens

[OKprairiegirll]

I have 10 hens (under laying age, 1 rooster and 7 guineas (same age as hens). The guineas are bullying my shy-er chickens. I coop and 1 run is all I have and they are all together. I think they have plenty of room. Coop is 6X12 and run is 12X30. I want them to be free range as soon as I think they are big enough to handle all the critters out here. The guineas I never expected to keep in the coop after they were grown. I want them to roost in trees and get away from my chickens. When I do let them all out for a couple of hours the guineas are the first ones back in! They are not interested in the trees at all. Last night one guinea did not come in with the others so I shut him outside. My rooster would not shut up until I let him back in! Good grief. How do I wean the guineas away from the coop - or is it something they will do when they are fully grown?

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[Sandshaven]

I think you have what most people wish for... Guineas that go in at night.
If you let them roost in trees I am afraid they will not be around long. They will fall prey to nighttime predators.

 

[big medicine]

Have had the same problem with my guineas, who also eat, lay, and roost in the same coop with my chickens. What I have resorted to, multiple times, is getting rid of all the male guineas as soon as they are discernible, and things soon calm down. The female quineas will operate on bluffs off of the fear the males instilled into the chickens for a little while, then they settle down and just blend into the flock.

 

[critters]

I wish all mine would still return to the coop....

currently have 3 flocks...1 cooped and 2 free ranging...
the free rengers started out cooped with the chickens
and when they were ready, they started staying out
roosting in the trees on their own...and not all at the same
time.....even had some that would go to the tree one
night then the next go into the coop....but mine did it
when they were ready on their terms..not mine..

good luck...

 

[Naturegirl44]

we have one guinea in a flock of 10 hens we rescued. She is always the last to go in the coop at night lol i have never seen her in a tree since we got her in May. The last two nights she has not returned and we found a nest in the deep thicket behind the house. We have disposed of the eggs and scattered the nest and hope she returns to the coop tonight.

We have lots of predators around here but its interesting i have never seen her fly up on anything or roost in tree's. She is about 4 years old and her previous disgusting home was smaller than we have for them and the run was only about 2 feet in height. Its her first time being free. I wonder if she doesn't understand that she can go high up and roost?