How to catch a guinea

[BennieAnTheJets]

Bennie, did you just create this drawing for this post? If so, I’m tickled and also awed by your commitment to helping fellow guinea owners! I must say that the calm expression of the netted guinea seems somewhat at odds with the panicked, freaky guineas I’ve found inside my net!

Ha ha ha, yes, they are not thrilled to be caught - and that is putting is very politely - without the expletives I have to endure from them and the evil eye that says: "if I was only a 6 foot Guinea, I'd show you!" (loosely translated from the movie The Rescuers)

But better caught than torn to shreds by a fox, is my reply.

Yes, I did make the drawing for the post. Hey, any time, anywhere. If there is a chance to save a Guinea from (almost) certain death and a fellow Guinea enthusiast from the heart ache of loosing one of those special creatures, I am motivated to try to help. God knows how much good it will do. Every situation is different and every Guinea has a slightly different take on life, I find. What works for one, may not work for another. The forum is awesome in that you get so many different people chipping in. Something is bound to work!

 

[BennieAnTheJets]

Just for you - revised Step 3.

 

[threelilkids]

Thanks to all of you. I to liked the pic with the net, LOL. I got the main female and have her in a pen on my porch, she calls to the others everyday, today the male found her and stayed all day. He left at dark so tomorrow I am going to try to net him if he comes back. Thanks again

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Just for you - revised Step 3.

View attachment 2169297

Awesome! That little touch of realism really brings the point home...

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Thanks to all of you. I to liked the pic with the net, LOL. I got the main female and have her in a pen on my porch, she calls to the others everyday, today the male found her and stayed all day. He left at dark so tomorrow I am going to try to net him if he comes back. Thanks again

I hope you can get them! I have tried to net an awake guinea outdoors and it was completely futile; I just panicked her. This was a guinea hen that had wrapped a string around her foot and she was hobbling around so couldn’t run too fast, but still way faster than me! I had to wait until that night when I could grab her off the roost in our guinea coop to free her from the string.

 

[BennieAnTheJets]

Thanks to all of you. I to liked the pic with the net, LOL. I got the main female and have her in a pen on my porch, she calls to the others everyday, today the male found her and stayed all day. He left at dark so tomorrow I am going to try to net him if he comes back. Thanks again

One word of caution: if you can follow the male and see where he goes you may find the other female sitting on a nest! That may help her save her little life and you could easily catch her in the net (well, comparatively easily) since sitting hens will not leave the nest, even if disturbed quite a bit. They will eventually, but have always been able to catch a sitting hen in a net even if I was a bit clumsy about it. The hardest thing was not to put the net over her but to get the belly and feet into the net because they would not get up. So the caution is: if you do manage to catch the male at your place somehow, you may miss the chance for him to lead you to the other female. Males often hang around a nesting female to protect her and the nest. That can be one way to find a nest. Does not always work, but it is another Guinea clue. He may be dividing up his time between protecting the nesting female and trying to help the calling female in distress.

And I agree with Mixed flock enthusiast - never caught a free ranging, awake Guinea in a net yet. They are too vigilant and lightening fast in their evasions. Centuries of genetic selection, I guess, to avoid predators like us. =] Big risk of injury, too, if you get mad and too aggressive with the net. I have not injured one but felt like I got close before I made myself quit. Again, I would try to follow the male at night and see if you can find the other female and take a milk stool or something (chair or towel to sit on) and plan on sitting there and waiting for an hour until they settle down and it gets dark - then you have a real chance of catching them. If the female is on a nest, I would go for the male first, bring him home and then come back. If you have a human helper guarding the female while you bring home the male, that would be ideal.

Best of luck!