How do guinea fowl defend themselves?

[lengel]

Something tried to dig its way under the tractor with our two guinea fowl and a very vocal Aracauna. Went out and saw a bunch of guinea fowl feathers near the hole that was getting dug. Looked at the guinea fowl and saw that they were fine except that they both had bloody areas right above both eyes.

I think that what happened is that they went after the paws of whatever was digging through by pecking at the dang thing and banged their heads against the frame base of the tractor, bloodying their own heads.

Does this make sense? I just don't understand how a predator would get just that spot by sticking a paw under the frame.

 

[Lollipop]

Sounds logical to me, lengel. Guineas ain`t got a lick of sence.......Pop

 

[froggie71]

I've heard that raccoons will make guineas run back and forth until they are tired and then they will lean against the wire allowing the raccoon to reach in and snap off their heads. We've been lucky so far and haven't had this happen to us, but we know others that it has happened to. Hope you don't have coons, cause they are a nasty predator.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

I do not think that a pair of Guineas would be agressive. It takes a bunch of them together to even approach an animal to ward them off.

Guineas usually alert and then the whole crowd runs or flys away from land based predators.

They will, however, stand their ground when it comes to other birds such as hawks and such. That is until it is uncomfortable for them.

I think you got lucky. Guineas are not a real smart bird, but in a group they can at least stand thier ground.

I would find a better shelter for them and take them out of harms way. Your predator will be back and next time you many only have feathers left.

 

[Akane]

The head is usually where the damage is when a raccoon or a few other animals try to get them. I had several quail and a few chickens that were attacked and suffered injuries to the head. The only ones I've found dead the only damage was to their heads. I had a cat get some quail and same thing. If you have wire on your pen the birds will either be sleeping near the wire, if it's big enough with their heads out of the wire, or when they get scared they'll try to get out through the wire with the same result. Then the predator just has to reach in and get the head to kill them. Even when not in a wire pen the head seems to be a target on poultry for some reason. I had a dog get in the coop and found 2 chickens dead that looked untouched except teeth marks on their heads and necks.

 

[floridamama]

we have had a guinea that at first glance looked like it was sleepin in a weird place but sleepin none the less. Well neighbor had a raccoons attack her place so I was out early to check how my guys faired since we had just got them and the coop up for them to roost in at night. Well. first sight feathers everywere like some flock of birds are molting (seriously badly) at first all birds are counted for. Poured feed out and 1 guinea didn't come (odd) walk over it is totally gutted. left feathers attached to skin but nothing else. We redid the coop to make it raccoon proof and so far haven't (knock on wood) lost any guineas since.

 

[allanimals21]

See my guineas are very aggressive when need be. They rule to roost so to speak around here. When I got the ducks there was an all out turf war. My guineas will go after the cats and I'm sure the dogs here too. They seem to protect themselves well here.

 

[Aj1911]

mine chase feral cats all day long lol

and would put up a pretty good fight (they have attacked me and my father before and won)

 

[ErieSpurs]

They were probably defending themselves and cut themselves on the fence. Guineas usually defend with beaks instead of claws, so they might of hit the fence a little too hard. I've always considered guineas smarter than chickens and most other poultry. I've heard of people house training them like dogs. They just have weird quirks because they are more wild than domestic.