Guineas in time out

[crazypetlady]

I can let my gunieas into my bigger yard if space is an issue for them or I guess they can wander the property...

 

[Blessedchickens]

Quote:
How big is your coop and pen? Guineas need a lot more room than chickens do, and overcrowded Guineas usually do become aggressive. As far as the noise goes... lol well you should have done your homework before getting them. The term barnyard watchdogs has been synonymous with Guineas for centuries.

Guineas aren't for everyone, but there are plenty of us that absolutely adore these quirky/moody birds. Maybe you can find someone that wants them for their pest control benefits rather than just eating them because they don't work with your poultry routine and set up...

I actually have really enjoyed my guineas . . until just recently. Their noise does not bother me at all or their silly behavior. I actually love to watch them race around and act goofy. It is only when they start hurting my hens that I start getting mad at them and the hose comes out. They aren't just pecking or doing it once. That is natural behavior and is expected. They are continuing on after the hen has bowed down in a submissive position. Taking chunks of feathers out or flesh is not okay in my book.

Now that being said I put them in time out (with lots of food and water) in a dog crate (just the two males) and they are actually behaving better since being let out. I am not saying they won't do it again. The guinea hen is just fine and always behaves. I do think it is either the heat or male frustration. My guineas have an entire fenced acre with trees, a pole barn, different watering spots, a garden (dead but separate space anyway)- they have no excuse for behaving this way in terms of space. I acutally have not at all seen them be destructive or at least any more than my ducks or chickens. I may rehome them, get them some more girls or just see what happens. But they may also end up in the freezer. We are on a very tight budget and everything serves a purpose on this farm. Right now they are supreme bug catchers, great at warning the other poultry of birds of prey and in general little warning alerts of things amiss in the barnyard. But they start acting mean again and they may just become dinner for our family and serve that purpose instead. I love them but I will not hesitate to change their purpose and they wil become useful in another manner for our family. They will be treated very humanely and with respect but that is what farm life is about. It's just a fact.

 

[mstrrlm]

Quote:
Chicken so I have been told by someone who has eaten them

 

[mstrrlm]

Look chickens, guineas and any flock or pack animal seek dominance in the group but you have to remember YOU are the pack/flock leader when I introduced new chickens to my flock of guineas and chickens the pecked and that was fine unless t hey got too aggressive or went on to long and I would pop the aggressor just hard enough for it to relies I am the boss and sometimes had to do it more then once to get there attention and so far it has worked. Be careful not to hit hard, just tap them on head or butt so they stop what they are doing

 

[Blessedchickens]

Quote:
I don't have a problem with that, but the little suckers are fast!! I would be careful not to be too hard. I know right before time out, I threw a very light, plastic cereal bowl at one and it konked it on the head. Not actually where I intended it to go. But it did make it stop! I had to chase right behind it as it was chasing the hen. I am the most certianly the boss in the heard but my concern was when they did not care a lick about what I was trying to do to them. They just tried to do it so fast I could not catch them doing it. That would be the biggest issue. Also why the hose came out.

But seriously ya'll I have to tell you, they have been much better behaved since they stayed in a dog crate for about 24 hours! They are still chasing hens and other chickens off but not pecking them. Much better! Even then if they focus on one I squirt them. Won't be doing that when it is not as hot, of course.

 

[PeepsCA]

Sometimes a time out does work for an attitude change. I've got a Royal Purple in a cage right now because I saw him whompin' on a Hen and the Omega male. This is his second time out this season, first one worked pretty good, but apparently not long enough, so we're trying it again. It gives the rest of the flock time to relax and the lower birds to secure a higher up spot in the pecking order.

 

[Piper1998]

How big is your coop and pen? Guineas need a lot more room than chickens do, and overcrowded Guineas usually do become aggressive. As far as the noise goes... lol well you should have done your homework before getting them. The term barnyard watchdogs has been synonymous with Guineas for centuries.

Guineas aren't for everyone, but there are plenty of us that absolutely adore these quirky/moody birds. Maybe you can find someone that wants them for their pest control benefits rather than just eating them because they don't work with your poultry routine and set up...hit

Thank you for responding, Mrs. Fluffy-Puffy. So here's the story - maybe you can shed some light on my situation.

1. We're new to chicken/fowl -keeping, and I think the guy who sold them to us was laughing all the way home that night. He did tell us they were loud, but I guess I didn't consider that five of them are louder than just one. The laugh is on me

I read up on them on the internet, and my husband is psyched because he read that they're "great to eat". I'm afraid that if I found them a new home he'd be crushed.

2. Our first-stage coop is a 10' X 10' chain-link run with two small box-coops inside. It was temporary for the summer (we're in upstate NY). The birds were all hatched in early May, so they're about four months old now. Raised together as one flock, and they free-range all day long.

3. The new coop is 20' X 8', and we hurried up to get it complete enough to house the flock this past Saturday night (Irene made us move faster on this!). The flock consists of 11 leghorns, 3 cochins, 1 silkie, and the 5 guineas. I'm currently working in 5 RIR's who are about 6 weeks old.

4. The big trouble is that the guineas won't let the rest of the flock into the coop. They parade around the entrance and run them all off. On Saturday night we were so excited about the new big coop! We worked all day on it and went in to take showers and eat a quick supper. Then went out hoping to see the birds all tucked up in the new coop. After supper, and in our jammies and boots we trucked out there with flashlights. Here's what we found:

The guineas were loudly squawking right in front of the door to the coop and the leghorns were all up in the apple tree - very high up. I'd locked up the run so they couldn't go in - thought maybe they'd go into the new coop instead. So my hubby shook the tree with a 16' 2X4 and as the chickens dropped out of the tree I caught them and put them into the new coop. In all the fuss, the guineas ran into the run (which I'd opened by then). I then had the guineas effectively separated from the rest of the flock. Yaay!

The storm raged on all day and night on Sunday, so I just went out to check them and feed them; they couldn't go out. On Monday, I let out only the chickens - I'm keeping the guineas penned for now. Life is great without those brats harassing the chickens.

On another note, we're on 5 acres with about half of it mowed/cultivated. The birds have the complete run of the place by day. Also, I have no idea how many of the guineas are hens and how many are roos.

Thanks for taking the time to read my posts and any advice you might be able to give would be great. I don't even know how I'd catch the wily creatures to get them to the nice Amish lady who processes them.​

 

[PeepsCA]

Sounds like your first coop/run set up is what started the aggression issues... Guineas and small coops are never a good match up, plus add the 15 chickens in there with them, it was way over crowded. Free ranging all day or not, overcrowded coop space at night does not work for most Guineas. Guineas need about 4 sq ft per bird with plenty of high roosts. Now that it's breeding season, all of their hormones are flaring which just equates to even more aggression.

Guineas do not like change, so that would explain why they would not go in the new coop and stood outside squawking at it. Since your chickens are already intimidated by the Guineas, they steered clear. If you feel it's just a case of door bullying (common with Guineas), 2 doors on the new coop might be helpful. But IMO at this point, separate housing might be your best bet. Is there any way to let the Guineas and chickens free range at separate times and maybe modify the run with roofing and perches to house the Guineas?

Guineas do better in larger numbers, especially when living with other types of poultry... they focus on each other rather than picking on the other poultry.

I imagine the guy that sold you the Guineas was at the very least snickering as you left his place with only 5 Guineas

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
Thank you for responding, Mrs. Fluffy-Puffy. So here's the story - maybe you can shed some light on my situation.

1. We're new to chicken/fowl -keeping, and I think the guy who sold them to us was laughing all the way home that night. He did tell us they were loud, but I guess I didn't consider that five of them are louder than just one. The laugh is on me

I read up on them on the internet, and my husband is psyched because he read that they're "great to eat". I'm afraid that if I found them a new home he'd be crushed.

2. Our first-stage coop is a 10' X 10' chain-link run with two small box-coops inside. It was temporary for the summer (we're in upstate NY). The birds were all hatched in early May, so they're about four months old now. Raised together as one flock, and they free-range all day long.

3. The new coop is 20' X 8', and we hurried up to get it complete enough to house the flock this past Saturday night (Irene made us move faster on this!). The flock consists of 11 leghorns, 3 cochins, 1 silkie, and the 5 guineas. I'm currently working in 5 RIR's who are about 6 weeks old.

4. The big trouble is that the guineas won't let the rest of the flock into the coop. They parade around the entrance and run them all off. On Saturday night we were so excited about the new big coop! We worked all day on it and went in to take showers and eat a quick supper. Then went out hoping to see the birds all tucked up in the new coop. After supper, and in our jammies and boots we trucked out there with flashlights. Here's what we found:

The guineas were loudly squawking right in front of the door to the coop and the leghorns were all up in the apple tree - very high up. I'd locked up the run so they couldn't go in - thought maybe they'd go into the new coop instead. So my hubby shook the tree with a 16' 2X4 and as the chickens dropped out of the tree I caught them and put them into the new coop. In all the fuss, the guineas ran into the run (which I'd opened by then). I then had the guineas effectively separated from the rest of the flock. Yaay!

The storm raged on all day and night on Sunday, so I just went out to check them and feed them; they couldn't go out. On Monday, I let out only the chickens - I'm keeping the guineas penned for now. Life is great without those brats harassing the chickens.

On another note, we're on 5 acres with about half of it mowed/cultivated. The birds have the complete run of the place by day. Also, I have no idea how many of the guineas are hens and how many are roos.

Thanks for taking the time to read my posts and any advice you might be able to give would be great. I don't even know how I'd catch the wily creatures to get them to the nice Amish lady who processes them.

I agree with Peeps, I think a Guinea Coop might be in order!

I had to separate my Guineas from the chickens because my top male was just beating the dar out of my hens.

~ Aspen