Guineas "stolen" by neighbor's flock...

[RobG7aChattTN]

Well, I don't have proof that it was even a dog much less whose dog...but I'm pretty sure it was at least SOME dog. Anyhow, this morning I checked the loft and 5 of the young Jumbo/French guineas were back in the loft. The neighbor said that my birds left his place this morning but they hadn't shown up at my place either. This evening I waited around to see if my birds would show up and as the sun was setting (it was too cloudy to see but it was "sunset") I could hear guineas making a racket at the neighbor's so I drove over. On the way I saw one of my little violet guineas on a driveway that basically runs the whole distance to the neighbor's. I got out and was going to try and heard it to my house but saw a good size flock of my birds at the neighbor's so I herded it over to his place. There were my 5 older birds (one pearl and five Royal Purple) and with the little violet guinea a total of 7 younger birds. He said that there had been about 15 younger birds there the night before and I wonder if they were headed back to their home and the little violet guinea was trying to decide which half of the group to follow. Anyway, the older birds headed right for the neighbor's barn but the young birds were headed back to my place. I was going to herd them along but the neighbor pointed out that it was almost dark so we herded them into his barn. Sadly, not long does his barn not close up (no solid doors) but I'm going out of town early in the morning and I'll be gone for 3 days. I hope either he catches them for me or they come home. The missing guineas did not show up at my place and must be roosting in the woods. I'll let you all know what happens. Meanwhile, I hatched out 18 baby chicks in my new incubator. They are just barnyard chickens because the eggs were cheap and I was trying to calibrate the incubator. I don't plan on keeping the chicks but they sure are calm and tame compared to keets.

 

[RobG7aChattTN]

Well, I haven't done an update because I kept thinking I'd have some good news to report. What happened is that all the living guineas fled but 5 of the young Jumbo/French returned. There were always a few Jumbo/French that didn't like to leave the loft so I left it open in case some of the others returned. Well, the 5 became 2 and I locked them in. I managed to catch three Jumbo/French at the neighbor's and two velvet (one was the remaining light grey colored one) and locked them in as well. I failed to catch the one young velvet and one young Royal Purple or the four adult Royal Purple or one lone adult Perl from my place that have taken to living there. The neighbor said that he saw a flock of "15 or so" young birds a few times but he hasn't seen them lately. Then, today, the neighbor called. I was hoping that he had caught some of my birds but instead he came home from church to find two dogs in his barn killing his chickens. The guineas were all in the trees and his Donkey was protecting the goats, but the dogs were killing his chickens that had been trapped in the barn. It was just like what happened to my guineas where they were just killing them one by one...not eating any at all. One dog was a part pit and it lunged at him as he entered the barn. He had grabbed a gun because of all the commotion so...well, let's just say it came in handy. The other dog fled but his donkey caught it and was beating it up pretty good but it soon shared the same fate as the other dog. Anyhow, the only good news is that these dogs are almost certainly the ones that killed off my guineas and at least now I might be able to let them free-range again some time in the future. The neighbor was beside himself in anger but I know exactly what he is feeling. I've been there. These were not strays as they had collars and rabies vaccination tags...but obviously not owned by responsible pet owners. It's tempting to make the dog owners pay for the lost poultry but probably safer to just "let sleeping dogs lie".

 

[Granny Hatchet]

oh im so sorry. i am glad he got the offending beasts. did you track the owners with the rabies tag? as hard as you have worked with these guys i most definitely would NOT let sleeping dogs lie.if people are not held accountable for their actions it will never stop. next time it could be a small child. send a message while you have to opportunity. i do hope things take a better turn for you.

 

[RobG7aChattTN]

You never know how people might react...even if they are in the wrong. So, maybe the main predators are gone, but I only have 7 birds left in my coop and I'm almost afraid to free-range until I get some eggs to put in the incubator. Seven birds can go quickly even if only hawks are around. I thought I was done buying keets from others...and maybe I am. I'd hate for even more to just up and go to the neighbor's.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

so you know who the owners are and their not good people? stay safe then.

 

[RobG7aChattTN]

I don't know the owners but I'd still rather be on the safe side and just let it go. They just lost two dogs so maybe the next ones will be kept on their property (as is the law in Tennessee).

 

[Nickeyo]

Well it seems like he overlap in guineas means that the newer ones are learning from the older ones to go to ur neighbours. Maybe you need a clean slate and just get a new batch of guineas and keep them new and maybe put up a tall fence on the side they use to get to ur neighbours.

 

[RobG7aChattTN]

The problem is that even a new batch of guineas (and this would be the THIRD batch!) might still go over to the neighbor's. I'm afraid that perhaps even without being scattered by predators that perhaps any new guineas would still go over there. I'm seriously considering giving up on guineas. A second idea might be to raise guinea keets with chicks so that they feel like they are part of the same flock. I don't think the chickens would range nearly as far. The downside is that the chickens might have trouble getting up into the loft unless I get a light breed...but I'd rather get a dual purpose breed. And I occasionally want to be able to confine the flock and that probably means no roosters as I've heard that male guineas will totally badger roosters to death unless they are only roosting in the same place at night. Anyhow, just a few things that I'm thinking about.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

a`hh, ive had my guineas locked up due to snow and freezing temps for a week and my male guinea is whooping everybody. other guineas and chickens alike including my polish roo on a different note my rir hens roost pretty high and they will use a ladder too. alot of them will use the ladder if you want them that high

 

[Nickeyo]

Get some friesian fowl. They are good layers, can become quite tame and are still able to fly very well here's a few pics.

Also I'm considering getting a few guineas this spring. I would have them in my hay barn then let them free range in the day. My neighbour is about a 2-5min walk from me and a few secs in the car. He has got quite a few guineas and the never leave his land. We have hedges I between us. But you can hear them so would my guinea fowl leave to be with him?