Help!!!

[Heather94]

I'm a new chicken owner/raiser. I have 10 Guinea fowl, 1 game rooster, 1 RIR, 2 Austros, 1 golden polish hen, and 2 silkie hens (just got the silkies Sunday). One of my Guinea males won't leave my silkies alone. The silkies are about a year old and molting. My Guinea fowl are about 5 months old. The Guinea (I'm assuming, I haven't seen any of the others bothering them) has torn a hole in the back of one of my silkies neck. I see muscle and all. Looks pretty bad. I brought her in, cleaned her up, and put her in a warm box for the night with food and water and some hay in it. She stayed in a corner most of the night, moved around a little this morning. She seems to be drinking water, not sure if she's eating or not.

This morning I put her back in a separate pen with the other silkie (separated her too just in case they decided to mess with her) and she started picking at the injured silkie, so I delegates them too.

She looks rough! Is there anything else I should be doing for her? Anything I should be putting on her??

I can post pics later if needed

 

[Heather94]

Anyone?

 

[coach723]

All birds will peck at wounds, you need to keep her separated until she's healed. If you cleaned it up well, then just watch for infection.
You can use neosporin without pain killer on it. Veterycin wound spray is also very good.
I do not have Guinea's but from much reading I understand they can be real bullies, especially to chickens.
I personally would probably not try to keep Silkies in with Guinea's. There are lots of articles/blogs of both successes and not successes keeping chickens and guinea's together. Best of luck.

 

[Heather94]

Thank you, I will make sure to watch for infection. And I will keep them separated. :\ I have a 10x6 dog kennel covered and closed in and connected to the run, I'll just keep my silkies in there. They have nest boxes in it and plenty of room for them.

Only one of my Guineas seem to bully, the others were just fine with them. Of course the explorered them some, but then left them alone. But I'll keep them seperated just in case.

When we decide to start letting them out to free range during the day, will the Guineans mess with them then? Or will I need to keep the chickens in the run?

 

[coach723]

Hopefully some guinea keepers will weigh in with suggestions.
As I said, I don't have any, but with any integration I would be vigilant with observing so if something happens you know what & who it is.
If everybody gets along except the one guinea you may have to consider re-homing him. Quarantining bully chickens works sometimes, as it resets the pecking order, I do not know if it is effective with guinea's. Would hate to make him worse!

 

[Heather94]

Oh no I wouldn't even try mixing again til she was completely healed. And thanks for the advice. I will definitely be rehoming him if he continues to bully them. Don't want him hurting her, or any new hens I may get, worse than he has already. One of the birds were bullying my polish when I first got her, but I couldn't catch who it was bc I wasn't home during the day. They now get along fine with her, although she tends to stick to herself most of the time, I have a "loner" Guinea as well. I guess I'll probably be rehoming the bully tho, thanks again!