Guinnea Back Damage

[Coveykn]

I have 10 guinnea 2 -8month olds and 8 - 4 month olds. One of my 4 month old guinnea was attacked by someone in the flock. Her feathers completely remove and a lot of her flesh on her back. So much so she has a deep crevice like hole. My brother told me it looked like hamburger When he checked on her after it happened. He saw her down in the run. She made her way to the chicken coop for safety for a couple of nights and then flew back with the guinnea flock. Everything seems to be fine now but I am not sure. The other guinnea would make her stay outside on the perch at night and not in the coop with them Before this incident. She keeps her wound covered with her wings so it isn’t too visible. I treated her one time with suave and antiseptic spray. It had scabbed over by the time I got to her 3 days later. My husband and brother really don’t like taking care of them but they are all my babies. The 8 month old I think is the culprit but I haven’t seen him being mean to her other than chasing her off Occasional. His name is Ernie he is an 8 month old male. Do you think he was trying to mate her And got to rough? Sorry I don’t have pictures I always forget to take pictures. They are all letting her in the coop now to snuggle at night. I think I have around 7 females and 3 roosters however I’m not sure because the females are just now buck-wheating. I counted 6 last weekend. All i can tell is by the waddles right now pointing backwards towards the neck and not hanging down like the roosters. Is this normal for guinnea behavior to attack a female so severely?

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hi! I'm so sorry! I haven't seen an injury like that when I had guineas. I know you love them, but Ernie may have to go

 

[R2elk]

I have 10 guinnea 2 -8month olds and 8 - 4 month olds. One of my 4 month old guinnea was attacked by someone in the flock. Her feathers completely remove and a lot of her flesh on her back. So much so she has a deep crevice like hole. My brother told me it looked like hamburger When he checked on her after it happened. He saw her down in the run. She made her way to the chicken coop for safety for a couple of nights and then flew back with the guinnea flock. Everything seems to be fine now but I am not sure. The other guinnea would make her stay outside on the perch at night and not in the coop with them Before this incident. She keeps her wound covered with her wings so it isn’t too visible. I treated her one time with suave and antiseptic spray. It had scabbed over by the time I got to her 3 days later. My husband and brother really don’t like taking care of them but they are all my babies. The 8 month old I think is the culprit but I haven’t seen him being mean to her other than chasing her off Occasional. His name is Ernie he is an 8 month old male. Do you think he was trying to mate her And got to rough? Sorry I don’t have pictures I always forget to take pictures. They are all letting her in the coop now to snuggle at night. I think I have around 7 females and 3 roosters however I’m not sure because the females are just now buck-wheating. I counted 6 last weekend. All i can tell is by the waddles right now pointing backwards towards the neck and not hanging down like the roosters. Is this normal for guinnea behavior to attack a female so severely?

Guineas can be vicious to each other. Attacks from behind with feather pulling and feather breaking are normal.

The wound you describe sounds more like a wound from a predator.

You cannot sex guineas by their wattles. I have seen cocks with what a person would think were hen wattles and hens with the types of wattles you would think a cock would have.

BTW, male guineas are not roosters.

You should try to have an equal number of hens and cocks. They tend to pair up.

 

[R2elk]

I have 10 guinnea 2 -8month olds and 8 - 4 month olds. One of my 4 month old guinnea was attacked by someone in the flock. Her feathers completely remove and a lot of her flesh on her back. So much so she has a deep crevice like hole. My brother told me it looked like hamburger When he checked on her after it happened. He saw her down in the run. She made her way to the chicken coop for safety for a couple of nights and then flew back with the guinnea flock. Everything seems to be fine now but I am not sure. The other guinnea would make her stay outside on the perch at night and not in the coop with them Before this incident. She keeps her wound covered with her wings so it isn’t too visible. I treated her one time with suave and antiseptic spray. It had scabbed over by the time I got to her 3 days later. My husband and brother really don’t like taking care of them but they are all my babies. The 8 month old I think is the culprit but I haven’t seen him being mean to her other than chasing her off Occasional. His name is Ernie he is an 8 month old male. Do you think he was trying to mate her And got to rough? Sorry I don’t have pictures I always forget to take pictures. They are all letting her in the coop now to snuggle at night. I think I have around 7 females and 3 roosters however I’m not sure because the females are just now buck-wheating. I counted 6 last weekend. All i can tell is by the waddles right now pointing backwards towards the neck and not hanging down like the roosters. Is this normal for guinnea behavior to attack a female so severely?

If you have a small chicken saddle you can put it on the guinea to help protect its back.

 

[Sydney65]

I had one once hit by a truck. It looked like a feather pillow factory was bombed, yet she got up and walked back to the coop (quite a walk). I used veterycin spray on it and it healed quickly w/o any issues. Her back was similar to your description, ground beef road rash with a puncture -mb something in the road ie a rock caused it.
They can be cruel, esp if they gang up on one. But if that were the case, they'd be more likely to ostracize her & block entry to coop, not let her eat w/them, and drive her away, esp after being injured, bc now she's a liability to the flock as a whole.
Not sure where you are located- in the states, mating season is over. If you're in Oz, for example, mating season is just starting.
Keep an eye on Ernie, every once in awhile we all end up with a bully that has to be contended with. But if they weren't letting her sleep with them, chances are R2 is right and she was injured by a predator or struck by a vehicle. Without knowing your set up/security, the most warning we can give is that predators can reach in the smallest spaces just enough to kill or injure.

 

[Coveykn]

Hi! I'm so sorry! I haven't seen an injury like that when I had guineas. I know you love them, but Ernie may have to go

Yes, I understand that suggestion if I would have caught him. At this point I don't know who did it. But yes, if I catch him hurting her or any of the others he will be destroyed. I think they call it in the bird arena as culling. I do not tolerate bullying from any of my flocks. Do you think separating him would cause a bigger issue? Someone mentioned in another thread that giving them time out may help. (but that was just for fighting) In a kennel for instance, they can see but not touch any of his friends. If so, how much time do they need to calm down? My husband also told me that he didn't think it a good idea if I go and catch the female each night to medicate her it may cause jealousy, and they attack her more. This is my first go around with chickens and guinea. I will have to say it is much harder keeping guinea than chickens. The video that guinea are expendables is correct. I have gone through 15 already just to have a flock of 10. Predators are crazy where I live.

 

[Coveykn]

Guineas can be vicious to each other. Attacks from behind with feather pulling and feather breaking are normal.

The wound you describe sounds more like a wound from a predator.

You cannot sex guineas by their wattles. I have seen cocks with what a person would think were hen wattles and hens with the types of wattles you would think a cock would have.

BTW, male guineas are not roosters.

You should try to have an equal number of hens and cocks. They tend to pair up.

Got it. Sorry about the misrepresentation. Cocks it is. I thought the same about a predator. It was a huge hunk out of her back feathers and all. We couldn't imagine the guinea ganging up on her and taking so much skin and feathers. We didn't see any predators at the time what do you think it could have been?

 

[R2elk]

I do not tolerate bullying from any of my flocks.

If so, guineas are not for you. It is standard guinea behavior.

Do you think separating him would cause a bigger issue? Someone mentioned in another thread that giving them time out may help. (but that was just for fighting)

Giving a problematic guinea male a time out can significantly change his behavior and the flock's behavior.

 

[R2elk]

Got it. Sorry about the misrepresentation. Cocks it is. I thought the same about a predator. It was a huge hunk out of her back feathers and all. We couldn't imagine the guinea ganging up on her and taking so much skin and feathers. We didn't see any predators at the time what do you think it could have been?

It is very possible it was a raptor.

 

[Coveykn]

I had one once hit by a truck. It looked like a feather pillow factory was bombed, yet she got up and walked back to the coop (quite a walk). I used veterycin spray on it and it healed quickly w/o any issues. Her back was similar to your description, ground beef road rash with a puncture -mb something in the road ie a rock caused it.
They can be cruel, esp if they gang up on one. But if that were the case, they'd be more likely to ostracize her & block entry to coop, not let her eat w/them, and drive her away, esp after being injured, bc now she's a liability to the flock as a whole.
Not sure where you are located- in the states, mating season is over. If you're in Oz, for example, mating season is just starting.
Keep an eye on Ernie, every once in awhile we all end up with a bully that has to be contended with. But if they weren't letting her sleep with them, chances are R2 is right and she was injured by a predator or struck by a vehicle. Without knowing your set up/security, the most warning we can give is that predators can reach in the smallest spaces just enough to kill or injure.

Thank you Sydney. We will reinforce the coop and run. It was done in the middle of the day. She is sleeping with them again. It is cold. We live in Arkansas. Lots of bobcat, coyote, raccoons, and fox. All baddies in my book. I will set a game camera on the run to see if I can catch anything. I've seen a bear once passing by the gate of the coops.