Guineas Won’t Leave Trees ALL day?!

[Hpatterson09]

i just let my 9 week old Guineas out during the day for the first times this week! So day one... they come out look around... find a redbud tree at the tree line that’s about 60 feet from their coop (which is under a big tree) they fly up into it and don’t come down until dusk and they get into the coop for the night... day two and three same thing! They aren’t coming down to eat or get water or anything?! No bug eating at all going on here! I’m a little confused right now, I figured I would be hearding guineas of my neighbors land by now but all they do is sit in the tree all day?! Is this normal in the beginning?! They aren’t spooked, we have a dog and two cats... that they walk right up to when we let them out like nothing, none of them even acknowledge them or move towards them nothing.

 

[southwind00]

HI and I'm no expert being that my 10 guineas are not even 20 weeks old thou they do look like adult birds but are still adolescents and will be until they are mating next spring.
At 9 weeks your birds are barely the size of a dove and prime size for hawks and owls.
They are probably scared to death and feel the tree is the best place. I'm not sure what you are expecting keets to do all by themselves out there. The better chance is of them getting eaten before they are eating bugs which they have not even learned about yet.
I have learned from my birds patience is the key. Good luck

 

[Ghosty]

It just depends on each particular situation. I do believe getting them out younger is better as far as imprinting on them not only their coop and run, but also ease of free ranging. My almost 4 week chicks are out for a bit right now. However, having older birds show them the ropes and making them feel more secure is probably a big help. Also having shelter outside from hawks and predators is a plus. Mine have cover all around the yard and can go under a large outbuilding and nap and dustbathe.

 

[Ghosty]

My guineas are around the same age as yours, but are pretty big. Much larger than the 7 week guineas I got at the beginning of the season that were in a small pen. I have free ranged this second set since around 4-5 weeks. They are much larger, maturing faster, and are more confident. I sold the first set. Too noisy, skittish, and after all the manhandling I had to do by the time I got their coop built, they were leery of me and honked nonstop when I came around.