Guinea's were scaried out of coop!

[kirstenbar]

Our Guinea's are 4 months old. My husband scaried them out of the coop because he said it needed cleaned. Now we are going on 2 nights that Ive left the coop open and no Guines. I see them during the day and they have even went up and looked in the coop but wont go in. Are we just SOL in getting them back in or will they in there own time come back? Or is there something that we can do to make them want to go in. They have been sleeping in the brush but when you get close to them the go back in the brush more. This is the first time we have had guines. Our Chickens come to us when we call them but the guines just never did. Any help out there would be nice. O they have come up to our chickens along there fenced area and the coops are together so they have seen each other the whole time.

 

[PeepsCA]

Since they were scared out in a panic the coop is now a scary place for them and that may be why they want nothing to do with it. Plus everything looks different to them from the outside so they have no clue where "home" is now (so it's not likely that they will go back in on their own). They are predator bait sleeping in the brush tho, something will eventually start picking them off one by one... and when the Guineas are depleted the predator or predators will start trying to get to your chickens as a food source.

I'd go out in the dark tonight and catch them all one at a time and physically put them back in the coop (Guineas are blind in the dark, and will typically explode when you catch them so be sure to grab them firmly). Once you get them all back in the coop try giving them a week or 2 to get comfortable/secure with the coop again, giving them a special yummy treat each evening about the time you'd normally be cooping them up. Once they start looking froward to their evening treat open the coop and let them come out on their own when they are ready... (don't scare or force them out this time). If they do not come out, then at coop up time close them back in and try it again the next day (it may take them a couple of days to wander out, but it really needs to be their choice).

Once they do venture out I'd start working on establishing a routine of getting them herded back in and cooping up each evening (before dark) and getting their treat. You will need to be painfully consistent with the routine tho and not allow them to sleep in the brush, at all. Since they have been out a couple nights already it may be a hard habit to break. Guineas like routine, but it needs to be one you establish for them... or they will establish their own. Once you have the evening cooping up/treat routine established they may be impatiently waiting for you if you are late with the goodies... and all your hard work will have paid off.

Good luck, hope you get them back in before something else gets them.

 

[Mehjr10]

The best way to catch them at least for my one of six that is an escape artist, is a fishing net with a long handle. Maybe that will help.

 

[kirstenbar]

Since I'm new to Guines what would be the best treats to feed them. Also they are right now nging aroun our chickens in the yard. . But they just do get how our chickens play

Up date out of 6 Guines 5 made their way into the closed in chicken coop area and are doing fine with the chickens in there. So we opened up their side so they can go in if they find it. Chickens are testing them tho. But if they dont go in at least they are in a very sucure fenced area with the fence being 12 ft. high. So I hope they dont fly out. Wish us luck tonight! Thanks for your help. I do still want to know what treats they like. thanks again

 

[PeepsCA]

Most people use white proso millet (or any wild bird seed mixes that contain mostly millet work ok too), and once the birds get a taste of it, it is like candy to them.

I myself have better luck with breeze dried meal worms and shredded greens from my garden tho. My flocks also like sweet feed (livestock feed - corn oats barley mixed with molasses).

Once they get used to getting some kind of treat each night they don't seem to care to much what it is. Whenever it hits their treat pans, it's usually gone in 3 seconds.