Herding guineas into coop...but coop is off the ground

[jobear]

Hi-I posted a topic about not being able to get our guineas back in the coop. Well, I went out and 'caught' them the first night they wouldn't go back in and put them back in the coop. Yesterday, I let 3 of them out (of the 5) but at eve, was only able to 'catch' 2 of them, the third hid right away. So, I've read what everyone has posted about trying to herd the guineas into the coop...with food or saying 'in'...but our coop is off the ground...and the entrances are either a little hole at the top side that has a 2x4 coming out of it for landing (but has some deer fence on it so they don't get out...we opened it for them to come out) and a wooden door that is off the ground in the front. How can I heard the one that is outside...which now won't let me get within 10 yards of it..into the coop, without the other ones getting out?! Urgh...do we have to have a ground level coop--we thought them being such fliers they would'n't mind being off the ground (it's about 2.5 feet off the ground)...thanks for insight!
I'm so excited about these guineas...but they've been a pain in the butt lately.

 

[flgardengirl]

If you let them be hungry for a little while before bed time and then feed them inside thier coop they will usually go in to get food then you can lock them in. Also, placing a light inside the coop will help some...they will go to the light area when it is dark out.

 

[KZ]

fI agree with flagardengrl. Keep the food dish empty during the day and they will run into the coop after they see you (the food lady) going and filling their dish in the evening. The light thing really does help if its getting dark. I bought a solar light at Harbor Freight for about 20 dollars and have it the chicken coop. I am going to get one for the Peafowl coop also since it works so well!

 

[Akane]

Make sure they can't get under the coop with chicken wire or wood. Steps are easier than ramps since it provides something solid. Otherwise a wide ramp particularly with sides so they can't go under it is better than something narrow. Usually that solves the problems with herding poultry in to their coop so long as you don't go too quickly and give them time to look at the ramp/steps for a minute.

If the others are trying to get out while you are trying to get some in then they either aren't used to their coop enough and need locked up more or you are trying to put them up too early and they aren't ready to go to bed. Waiting later may solve your problem and they may even go in on their own then. Also if you wait until later to feed them a treat the others may be busy eating long enough to get the stragglers in. If it is late or you really need them to go up earlier I've found having somewhere next to the coop door for a bird to hide makes it potentially possible to catch them one at a time without leaving the coop door open. So far I've caught random escaped guineas in a rabbit hutch, under some angled plastic snow fence, a leafy tree branch, a piece of plywood leaned against the coop, and from behind a scoop shovel. When they can't figure out where to go they duck for cover near the door and if you move slowly you can get close enough to make a grab at them. Especially young ones who aren't too smart about such things yet.

 

[cackler]

I am worried that I am going to have the same trouble. I have 4 keets that were incubated from guineas I have that were hatched & raised by a chicken. I am concerned that when time comes to turn them out - that I won't be able to pen them in so they can come & go during the day because they'll simply fly out of the penned area. All of my chickens and guineas free-range during the day. I am looking for a trick to help these little ones when time comes for them to go out on their own. I'm hopeful that by keeping them in a cage in the coop for a while that when I do open the coop door that they will know where to return to in the evening. I'm not yet sure how old they should be to even do that....they are almost 4 weeks now and almost fully feathered.