Guineas fighting

[CrzyChicLady]

I got 10 guinea keets in October. Unfortunately I only have four left from that batch. I'm not sure but think that three are boys and only one is a girl and maybe this is why they are fighting. I've never heard of guineas fighting, so I have no idea what the problem is. I plan on getting some more guineas this spring. Do you thing that will even the gender ratio and stop the fighting?

 

[robin416]

Completely normal. You are seeing why I say it is best to not house Guineas with chickens, they can be very physical in their sparring for who is going to be the flock leader. As Spring approaches it will get even wilder. Chasing relentlessly, grabbing each other by the wings and spinning around in circles. The number of females to males has nothing to do with what you are seeing.

My flock is almost even up but I've been watching some knock down, drag out battles occurring already. So far I haven't seen any of the younger males challenging the two oldest, leader of the flock males, but in time it will happen.

 

[TiaView]

Can you please tell me if Guineas will kill chickens. I just separated my chickens and guineas because I kept finding dead chickens that looked to be beat around the head and neck. They are in a big barn...predator free.

 

[robin416]

It is entirely possible. That's why I do not house Guineas with chickens. But Guineas go after the whole bird usually, not just the head and neck.

 

[CrzyChicLady]

Robin416- When you say "house" does that mean fenced in? All of my fowl are free range. They share a coop at night but go where they please during the day. The guineas haven't been messing with the chickens, so that's good. They just have little tiffs amongst themselves.

TiaView- Let me know when you find out what's going on with your chickens. I wish I could help but I'm just a novice.

 

[pattypenny]

Quote:
A skunk will kill and suck the blood from a chicken and then leave the body there. also weasle and mink do the same. I think your problem is a animal killing your chickens. when a skunk kills the head will be bloody and the throat will have a cut where they suck the blood.
a skunk can get in a pen very easly . he only needs a small hole.

 

[robin416]

Quote:
When I say house I mean coop. My Guineas have their own coop and free range during the day.

I've had issues here first hand having Guineas and chickens together. I've got one girl who still suffers from the head injury she got as the result of a Guinea nailing her in the head. I've had them corner a rooster and go after him. Its not worth it to me to risk my chickens so the Guineas have their own coop and they can carry on as much as they want, at least they are not a danger to my chickens.

 

[CrzyChicLady]

Robin 416- Oh I see. How do they know to go into their own coop? Do they ever try to roost in the trees? I kept my guineas in the coop separated from the chickens for a few weeks when they were about 4 weeks old until they were 7 weeks old.

 

[CrzyChicLady]

Quote:
A skunk will kill and suck the blood from a chicken and then leave the body there. also weasle and mink do the same. I think your problem is a animal killing your chickens. when a skunk kills the head will be bloody and the throat will have a cut where they suck the blood.
a skunk can get in a pen very easly . he only needs a small hole.

Brutal!

 

[robin416]

Quote:
Despite people declaring Guineas as stupid or dumb they really are not. You begin to realize just how smart they are when you take the time to watch and interact with them.

My Guineas are trained to their coop, just like my chickens are. They know their food, water, evening millet and shelter from the weather is there. Its not unusual for me to find them up already when the weather is not ideal. On some of our very windy days they get fed up with it and go to their coop to shelter from it.

The only birds that take to the trees are the teenagers, those less than a year. 99% of the time I can call them as I walk to their coop and they fly down to come in to the coop.

But I have over 20 Guineas. That makes for a more balanced, contented flock. I can let my chickens out to free range and the Guineas ignore them. My two egg layers go down to the Guinea coop every day without the Guineas going after them. They've got enough to keep them busy harassing each other.