Guinea's gone WILD. What the heck?

[terrilhb]

I heard my guinea's screaming(as usual) but differently. I see 2 of them beating the tar out of each other. Pecking, biting, flying at each other and jumping on each other. It was crazy. Did not help on of my hens went and jumped in the middle of it. They are 3 months old. Do they hate each other or is this normal?

I have never seen anthing like it. I thought they were going to kill each other. I ran in and tried to stop them. Do I need to seperate them? I have 17.

 

[oliviad51]

I have about 17 as well. Every year around this time they fight like crazy. I too, thought they were going to kill eachother a few times! I think this is normal. I'm not sure why they do it...I guess trying to figure out the pecking order?

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Not sure, but just a thought, mating season?

 

[perchie.girl]

Yep mating season depending on where you live. In California I am hearing it can start in February .... colder climates later.

 

[snyd08]

its the pecking order. mating and pecking order/dominace in birds all goes hand in hand... you MAY have to split up some and THEY CAN KILL one another. just continue to watch them and IMO if it continues maybe they are too crowded if they arent FR birds. if they are FR i wouldnt worry so much considering they have enough room to get away from one another may need be...

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
for those that are acronym challenged..... FR = Free Range. Though they may squabble all year long there is definitely a mating season for Guineas.

 

[terrilhb]

Thank you all. I was so worried. They are only locked up during the night. There is no fighting than. During the day they are FR. I just was not sure because they are only 3 months old. Silly birds. They sure are alot different than chickens. I never knew that they moved in a flock wherever they go. It is hilarious to watch them. They love to scream at the airconditioner unit. Like it is going to kill them. I will keep watching them.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:

screaming at the airconditioner..... too funny. Hey I was out messing around in my Guinea coop (mine are too young yet to allow out) and I was sitting on my chair fixing a water valve. When something set mine off probably a Raven flying by. Anyway they wouldnt shut up and I was getting a head ache. So I started whistling in a low whistle "Camptown races" To a one they all shut up and gave me the stink eye and started rubbernecking at me. Which lasted all of about twenty seconds.... then they went back to BuckWheating, but not that "Alarm Alarm We are all Going to Die" Noise....

My eleven keets are about nine weeks and I just brought up another thirty that are at four weeks. My intention is to keep them all within coop and run till the spring. Lots of run and coop space for sure. And at this point I have no chickens. Those will come in the spring of next year.

 

[PeepsCA]

perchie.girl :

Hey I was out messing around in my Guinea coop (mine are too young yet to allow out) and I was sitting on my chair fixing a water valve. When something set mine off probably a Raven flying by. Anyway they wouldnt shut up and I was getting a head ache. So I started whistling in a low whistle "Camptown races" To a one they all shut up and gave me the stink eye and started rubbernecking at me. Which lasted all of about twenty seconds.... then they went back to BuckWheating, but not that "Alarm Alarm We are all Going to Die" Noise....

Lmao...

Welcome to my world! Enjoy the silences, even if they are short lived lololol

 

[oliviad51]

perchie.girl :

Quote:

screaming at the airconditioner..... too funny. Hey I was out messing around in my Guinea coop (mine are too young yet to allow out) and I was sitting on my chair fixing a water valve. When something set mine off probably a Raven flying by. Anyway they wouldnt shut up and I was getting a head ache. So I started whistling in a low whistle "Camptown races" To a one they all shut up and gave me the stink eye and started rubbernecking at me. Which lasted all of about twenty seconds.... then they went back to BuckWheating, but not that "Alarm Alarm We are all Going to Die" Noise....

My eleven keets are about nine weeks and I just brought up another thirty that are at four weeks. My intention is to keep them all within coop and run till the spring. Lots of run and coop space for sure. And at this point I have no chickens. Those will come in the spring of next year.

When I first got guineas a few years ago, I thought they would be just like chickens...boy was I wrong. They sure aren't the brightest creatures out there either.

And while we're telling guinea stories....

I will never forget the night I was closing the guineas up and I noticed an egg under where they were roosting. As I went to pick it up, I heard this awful hissing noise and I looked up to see the guineas hissing and snapping at me. It was pretty scary..mainly because it caught me off guard!

Also, I have a fox that keeps coming back. Every time it comes the chickens freak out and hide but the guineas chase that fox away in a big crowd. They have got to be pretty intimidating all together raising heck like that! If it wasn't for the guineas though, I would have many more chickens missing from that fox!​