How high can your guineas fly???

[Munchies]

Okay. Not all things are exactly black and white with guinea fowl or any animal. I have 15 guinea fowl that are happy to run in a 60' x 45' run with only a three foot fence. Yes, I typed three as 3 feet tall. You have to train them and since Guinea Fowl are smarter than dogs, it only takes being consistent.

First is the idea that chicken wire is not to be jumped over or mean man that bring feed pail throws me back over. This training really only works when they are still keets as when they get bigger picking them up becomes more difficult as they will run along the fence.

Second, is that the roof and that tall tree are not safe hiding place from the man with the feed pail. Let me tell you the roof thing got a bit weird when I had to follow one on to our neighbor's roof.
(I'm not really that great with heights and 45 degree pitched roofs)

Repeat as often as necessary until they all get it.

Yes, I still have to chase an errant bird now and then, but usually because they saw me on the other side or one of the others pushed. But I make sure to turn them around before they can leave the property.

I just have to get close and they head back into the safety of the fence.

And sticking your head out of an upstairs window is easier than climbing onto the roof.

Sometimes they jump back over when I pop my head out the back door. Not because they had any guilt about it, nope, they thought I had a loaf of bread in my hand.

Treats work great for teaching them "come here".

 

[greathorse]

If you do not have a sense of humor do not keep Guinea fowl. THey are the craziest animal I have ever encountered. I have found mine roosting on the top of a 75 foot Cottonwood and got up there with not issues.

On the other hand they flew across the road to a neighbor's pasture and after two days of aggravating me and the neighbor I asked permission from the neighbor to drop a 24 inch fence so they could get back home. The skittered back and forth along that fence for a full 48 hours as though it was 75 feet tall for two days, they made a hell of a racket the whole time. I lost one to a predator while they were over there as well.

After I dropped the fence it only took them a half a day to figure out they could cross that.

My Lord they are exasperating. I like em though. LOL

Edited to say:

They are so annoying that I set 48 eggs in the incubator today. Yep they are sure a pain in the patoot. Only 48 more for next year.

Seriously they are not a bird you can stress over very much cause they do what they are going to do and if it means there ultimate demise there wasnt much you were going to do to effect it one way or the other.

Mine do come to the coop (almost) every night and let me lock them in. Other nights no such thing and not much I am going to do about it. I am not climbing a Cottonwood for them that is for sure.

 

[ozark hen]

I love the last two posts...no. 11 & no. 12. so very true on them being crazy birds but I, too, love them. I forgot to add that now at night when I call..."here babies" they will run and follow me into the coop. They just like to act to like human teenagers and only hear you when it is convenient to them.

As munchies stated...nothing is written in stone...I really agree there completely....with any animal.

 

[HidingInTheHenHouse]

Mine have perched on the top of my house before, which is 2 full stories plus attic. However, I've clipped one wing on each, and now they mostly stay inside the 4 foot fence. Occassionally one will get over the fence, but of course then can't figure out how to get back.

 

[aaronzclark]

You can cut their wings it's not cruel because if it was people would not have them in the first place because they are wild. I cut my guineas wings
it works great I have a 4 foot high fence for my chickens goats ducks and guineas and I cut all of my poultry animals wings. And I also love haveing them great watchbird! Get you some and cut there wings pretty low

 

[sred98]

I am lucky that mine still think they are attached to the chickens, so wherever the chickens go and however high the chickens fly (HA!) that is all they can do, too!

They have no problems roosting in the rafters of the barn, but just "learned" how to jump up on the fence surrounding the backyard because the chickens wanted in and DH was trying to keep them out. However, if one of them is in the backyard, and the other 2 are loose in the pasture, they cannot fly over, and the others cannot get back in.

They are crazy, and I love them! Before they started getting more bold and venturing along the immediate backyard fence, we were pulling 5-6 ticks a person (6 people) off of us a day. We haven't had one in a while. This was just a few weeks ago, too!

I only have 3, but am desperate to get more! I'd love to have about 10-15.

I wouldn't suggest trying to clip their wings. I got bold and cornered one and tried to pick him up. He beat me to death with his wings...they really hurt! And scratched me up my arms so bad it looked like I'd been in a fight with a tiger!

They do come when I call them. Food is the best motivator!

I say try it. Maybe get a chicken or two to put in there with them. They might imprint to it and not leave.

Shelly

 

[Kelly G]

These are GREAT posts...and I appreciate the input! Sadly...I do NOT have good luck, and with that luck, I'd have Guineas that could (and would be inspired to) clear a tall building!

I still would like them, though! I've been eyeing them for two years!

 

[scooter147]

You all are cracking me up.
Guinea's can fly up onto just about anything if they put their minds to it.
I never had any luck with the wing clipping. My fence was eight feet high and they still went over it and it didn't matter if just one wing was clipped or both, over they went.
Try netting. Deer netting is relatively cheap and comes in 7x100 feet rolls.

 

[TennesseeTruly]

Quote:
I got such a visual from this! I have 4 little guinea keet in my brooder (with a top) and they're already bouncing off the top of it continuously! They're skittish little things but I think they're going to be a joy to have.

That's why three neighbors and I are buying 120 guinea eggs for me to incubate! LOL

Good luck!

Laurie

 

[momof247371]

My guineas are in a run and the fence is 6ft tall, i clip wings but they can still clear it BUT THEY DONT....