Help! My babies escaped!

[Cheyanne Rebollar]

Help! My 2 week old quineas have jumped over the milk crate barricade I contructed in my coop to keep them secluded and have escaped into the yard with my other older chicks(that do return at night). I'm wondering what I can do to lure them back inside or if they'll come back on their own. They're hanging out by the coop and underneath it but I've read they're already stubborn when it comes to returning at night. I keep the food and water in the coop and there are other chicks that didn't escape that they've grown up with inside also. Thanks for any advice!

 

[Chickiemom25]

get a large net on a stick and wait for them to return to the other guineas. They are very flock oriented and at least older ones will do their best to stay near the rest of the flock. Mine are about 10 weeks now and the ones who are loose check in on their buddies who are still confined throughout the day. Good luck

 

[GlennLee]

How did you make out? Is everyone safe and sound? It's really hard when they are that little and their instinct is to run away and hide. I always have a fish net line with bird netting on hand. It helps to have other people who are willing to move slowly. If they get startled, they'll fly and find dense brush or tall grass for safety, which quickly lowers their body temp. Very sorry that this happened. It's tough when they get out and they don't know home yet.

 

[Cheyanne Rebollar]

They never returned ): oh well. I still have 1 left

 

[GlennLee]

Oh, so sorry.... that is sad... I am glad that you have one left anyway. Good luck!

 

[Chickiemom25]

 

[GlennLee]

@Cheyanne Rebollar I notice there are still advertisements on Craigslist at least in my area so you could probably get more if you were interested in doing so this year. I have to say, it's hard to add new birds, at least that's been my experience. Others haven't had an issue with it. Don't give up the guineas though... they really are fun despite what you hear about them.

 

[Cheyanne Rebollar]

@Cheyanne Rebollar I notice there are still advertisements on Craigslist at least in my area so you could probably get more if you were interested in doing so this year. I have to say, it's hard to add new birds, at least that's been my experience. Others haven't had an issue with it. Don't give up the guineas though... they really are fun despite what you hear about them.

Adding birds isn't a problem for me yet because none of mine are mature lol this is a recently new hobby! But I have 1 still and if everything goes well with him I'll consider getting more

 

[jvls1942]

If you can, put the one with some chicks.
I like to raise guineas with chickens because they learn to go into the coop at night.
remember, if you go after a bird with a net, and you miss. the next time you will have to have a longer handle. if you miss again, just the sight of the net will set them off running..

the 3 loose guineas are in a flock.
so they will not come back to flock up.

 

[BoogieBug]

Adding birds isn't a problem for me yet because none of mine are mature lol this is a recently new hobby! But I have 1 still and if everything goes well with him I'll consider getting more

I feel for you. Three of our original four were killed and eaten by a stinkin' nasty possum (who has since been disposed of). The lone survivor, who we named Radar, was so lonely. She spent a week in the house as my husband's co-worker! ha ha! I was out of town and on my way back home, stopped and picked up three more of the same age (7 weeks at the time). I was concerned about them getting along as well. We put the three newbies into the chicken tractor and kept Radar in the house for the first night. The next morning, we brought Radar out and put her kennel up alongside of the chicken tractor to let them get acquainted. When we came back out to check on them, they were all as close to each other as they could get, separated by the kennel and tractor. So we let Radar out of her kennel and she went right into the tractor and they have been even closer than the original group were. This made me so happy. It was like they belonged together all along. With the original group, there were always three together and Radar seemed like the "third wheel." Even when I'd look at pics, it was always three together and one on her own. I guess it served her well as she ended up being the only one not killed.

I'm glad I went and got more. Radar was becoming very attached to us and I knew she missed her siblings. She's happy now!! Best of luck to you! I hope yours come back home. Sometimes they do surprise you!!