Guineas, odd little creatures, some questions though

[jtbrown]

First, my guineas are now 10 weeks old (maybe a week older), I am feeling bad about them being in the enclosed run, and thought I would take my chances and see if I could free range them in the evening. I know I could lose them and at this point, I would rather see them happy than penned up. It's so nice out and about, and we have so much land for them to roam.

But, I opened their door and the pop door to that run and they won't leave the run. Two nights now (I know that's not a lot), but two nights of possible freedom, and they will not leave their run. I even enticed them with treats. They walked up to door threshhold, eat their treats and will not go over threshhold.

Those of you with guinea experience, do I just keep it up and eventually they will go on their own? I don't want to free range them now (may happen, even soon) without me being home until I let them have some time to get used to things. And now the ducks are in with them in the enclosed outdoor run, and they are too much of a target to predators to be out on 10 acres all by themselves. The chickens have all been free ranging in the evening and are nosy into their run, but for now, they won't leave run.


Thanks for any thoughts. ps- they are the funniest looking little creatures now, and my goodness, they have the most ear piercing squawl I have ever heard!

Forgot to ask -- now I can hear the different sounds, I know I have females and males, I am hearing the two syllable sound out of the birds with smallest wattles. Is it typical for males to develop larger wattles initially? Just curious.

 

[furbabymum]

I'm interested in what you find out!

 

[PeepsCA]

Don't force them out, just keep giving them the option to come out if they want. (If you force them out this is traumatic and can cause them to not want to go back in). Guineas hate change and anything that looks new, but once one eventually gets brave and wanders out, the rest will soon follow. The fact that they feel safe in their coop/pen is a good sign that they will want to return to the coop to roost. So just keep doing what you are doing, and just let them work it out.

Some males will develop bigger wattles, but not all males, some will only develop small flat wattles like a Hen should have, or one large cupped wattle and one small flat wattle (asymmetrical wattles). And the Hens can do the same, either/or, or one of each... usually due to bad genetics. According to the "Guinea Standards" males should have large cupped wattles, Hens should have small flat wattles. If you aren't showing your birds, it really doesn't matter what type of wattles they have, but it is nice to be able to look at a bird and know the sex by the shape/size of it's wattles. Sexing the Hens is most accurately done by hearing them make the 2 syllable buck-wheat call... the males never make this call.

 

[jtbrown]

Thanks, I was hoping it was okay to leave them in there if they chose. I had a friend note that it looked small to leave them in there all the time, and I agree, but they were smaller when I started this. So, I was letting them out a little sooner than I expected, but now they don't wanna go. So, I will keep letting them have access when I am home so I can be there when they fly the coop and let them back in or lure them in if needed.

Thanks again on the wattle info too.

 

[zazouse]

You got great advice but i am a bit concerned about this statment....


But, I opened their door and the pop door to that run and they won't leave the run. Two nights now (I know that's not a lot), but two nights of possible freedom, and they will not leave their run. I even enticed them with treats. They walked up to door threshhold, eat their treats and will not go over threshhold.

Are you really wanting them to go out at night? i mean they are birds and they do roost at night not forage for food, their eyesite is worse than a chickens at night.

 

[JLeigh]

JT

I agree with Zazouse about night time free-ranging. IMHO, letting guineas stay out after dark is an engraved invitation to nocturnal predators in your area to come to dinner until your flock is no more. You have a great plan to acclimate your flock to coming back to the coop though. I did the same thing, and they learned after about a week or so that coming back to the coop at dusk was part of their routine. I left the door to the run open and went out to close them in at dusk. If they weren't in at dusk, I would herd them back in. It also became part of MY routine, lol.

 

[PeepsCA]

I think jtbrown meant evening... and is just starting to let them out for short periods before the sun goes down (and using the sun going down as a visual cue for the birds to know when it's time to coop up).

 

[mhanna]

keeping this post going..
i am about there also to allow my 3 guineas to free range during the day..and looking for my advice.. I do work all day and do you let them free range while you aren't there? stupid question but should I start letting them just free range on weekends when I am home. I am going to follow every ones advice and let them venture out on their own but once they do get out how do I get them back in at night? will they just go in or has anyone ever had a problem of them not going back into their pen once out?

 

[TarheelBirdy]

At about 10-11 weeks old, I start taking one guinea at a time and putting them in a seperate cage, out of sight of the others....and I wait to hear their call, which tells me if they are a male or female (thanks PeepsCA for this idea!). I tag it if it is a female. I then open the door to the cage for it to come out when it's ready....usually takes a couple of days, and it will start to come out to see the adult guineas when they come around. Eventually, it will integrate in with the adult flock. I then repeat this process with the next guinea, until they are all ranging with the adults.

My guineas don't come in at night. My first flock eventually quit coming in ,choosing instead to roost outside at night. So, when the babies integrate in, of course they do as the adults do. I'd prefer that they come in at night, but there's not much you can do to change it once they do.

If they do start to stay out at night, you could try setting up a very strict routine of putting food and treats in their run at exactly the same time in the evening and calling them exactly the same way every time. Don't give them any food any other time while they are free-ranging. I have had good luck with this off and on....it just didn't last.

 

[jtbrown]

Yes, PeepsCA I did mean evening. I used night instead of evening in my description. Sorry for confusion.. I started opening the run about 5-6 pm and it's not dark til 9. So I was doing with them what I did with my chickens which was to let them out a bit to get a taste for it, then bring them in (coax) them in at dusk.


We are working on a covered feeding station today, and some winter shelter. I know they hate change so I won't offer freedom until used to the new digs so as not to cause running away from US instead of going out to free range of their own will. I will update pics later! Thanks for the advice!

They are housed with our ducks right now, and I cannot keep them out of duck food!