Guineas

[Jessie22]

I have a question about my 4 month old guineas. The guineas stay in the barn all the time. I open the door and leave it open, they have only come out 2 times for a short time and then back in. They are always squawking especially when I enter the barn, the females start hollering and won't shut up until they don't see me and quiet down. In the evening when I go to shut the barn for the night they are squawking and the chickens won't enter the barn. The only chickens that enter are the 2 roosters and 1 hen. They are full grown. The small ones won't go in when the guineas are hollering. The guineas roost high in the barn. They make a mess (poop) in the barn and I am cleaning that portion everyday. I have had to block off a portion of the barn for the chickens because the guineas will go over and eat their food, they each have their food and at night I block that portion off so the chickens can have peace. I have never seen the guineas attack the chickens, they all just holler until night fall when the barn is quiet. I have 10 guineas and 9 chickens. I do want to get rid of some guineas, maybe 4 but I want to keep the females. I think I only have 3 females out of 10, wow. There is 2 males when they do go out that chase the others and make them fly up. I want thing a little quiet not holler all the time!!! Any suggestions and whats going on?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Well, firstly, the females are the louder ones so its not going to get any quieter by getting rid of the males. Also, guineas are not like chickens and they like to pair up for mating. I personally prefer to try to keep as close as a 1:1 ratio of males to females, though others do successfully keep different ratios. IME they will quiet down around the 8 month mark (thankfully). As far as their behavior, I am not sure why they are not wanting to go out, but you don't have your location on your profile. Mine do not like snow AT ALL, so that might be the case. Also, guineas are very much creatures of habit and can be scared of new things, even if you move something.

Essentially, though, it sounds like you are describing normal guinea behavior.

 

[Jessie22]

Yes it is the females. When they are out, I can sit down and they all come up and start pecking my shoes and pants. Doesn't hurt though. I won't let them peck my hands, I am sure that will hurt. Just as I said they won't come out, guess what, they were all out. I am in NC and there is no snow just cold now and then. 30's to 50's during the day and 20's to 40's at night. It is starting to get a little warmer. Thanks for your reply.

 

[ludwing]

That is lovely to hear, as long as they are around, our guineas wandered away,during the breeding season and never come back,moslty females.

 

[siamese]

Okay mine are about a month older. They were going in and out fine. However DH and I decided that a roof over the outside coop area would be better and safer. So we'd done it and now they are acting weird. The first day they wouldn't come out. Second I found them out, third wouldn't come out and I shuu them out. Fourth day in and out. Five in all day. Other than the roof the only change is the weather, we find them sitting in the sun, by their window, and it's about 35F here. We are in interior of BC Canada. They were fine with all the smoke and activity all summer, lots of air traffic. I had heard they are good in the cold, now I am thinking no so???
So Dear Hubby went down and closed they're window and shusd them out, they all hollered at him and went out and found the hay and started dirt bathing. Do I need to keep doing that??

 

[R2elk]

Okay mine are about a month older. They were going in and out fine. However DH and I decided that a roof over the outside coop area would be better and safer. So we'd done it and now they are acting weird. The first day they wouldn't come out. Second I found them out, third wouldn't come out and I shut them out. Fourth day in and out. Five in all day. Other than the roof the only change is the weather, we find them sitting in the sun, by their window, and it's about 35F here. We are in interior of BC Canada. They were fine with all the smoke and activity all summer, lots of air traffic. I had heard they are good in the cold, now I am thinking no so???
So Dear Hubby went down and closed they're window and shusd them out, they all hollered at him and went out and found the hay and started dirt bathing. Do I need to keep doing that??

By adding that roof, you changed their world. It takes time for guineas to adjust to change.

 

[siamese]

Okay I have heard of this, but was more concerned as the temp dropped so much, we went from 30+ to 0 at night. So we can let them get used to it. If I change things inside I found them accepting, like I moved feed container to one side so they have more area to move around during the long winters.