I know they're not stupid, but they sure act like it...

[highline]

Why is it that guinea have no problem looking up and flying right over the fence into the next yard, then turn right around and spend the rest of the day running back and forth in a 10 ft spot trying to figure out how to go through the fence back into their yard?

Happens every day. Of course I have to go make sure they get back over the fence before dark.

I've been thinking about just leaving them to see if they get back over, but we have screech owls and don't want to risk it.

I love my guinea but they are sure driving me crazy.

 

[StevenW.]

The grass is always greener on the other side!

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote:
That's kinda like asking why did the chicken cross the road...

Mine are just as dumb, so I feel your pain!!! I'm in the process of training a new flock of 17 to stay inside my fenced 10.5 acres... or actually more like they are training me to continually stop what I am doing and chase them back in while I'm trying to get things done outside

The last time they went over the fence 6 of them ended up out in the road and 2 up in a tree on the outside of the fence, so I took off after them on my quad to get my point across

(which was very effective by the way, lol). I put them away after that, I'd had enough by then

 

[Ksane]

That's mine, too!!!!! We've had a sign hanging on the front door for months. It says, "Check for Guineas before letting dogs out".
Because the goofy guineas would fly into the dog's front yard but then not be able to figure out how to fly back out. We'd have to go out there every morning before letting the dogs out, open the gate and the guineas would run like crazy out the gate. I've seen them fly 200 ft way up over the house. Yet they can't find their way over a 5' fence out of the dog's yard???

 

[mkcolls]

Misery loves company.

We thought the noise that the female guineas made was burning their brain cells.

Our guineas fly into both of the chicken runs, and spend hours terrorizing the chickens, (very rough mating attempts and pecking), eating any leftover feed, and screaming to get out. We know that they can fly out, we have seen it, but most days they refuse to fly out on their own.

We have regular discussions about benefit vs cost and aggravation. I see freezer camp in their future if they don't start grazing, eating bugs and pests, and staying out of the chicken's runs. It may be a long winter with guineas.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Ha, Guineas are stupid.

I had one pair of them who would freak out everytime they couldn't find the other, yet somehow they managed to get seperated whenever one looked the other way! Then for the next hour they would frantically try and find each other. Once they did, one would wander off again and the process would start over again. This went on everyday, all day for months until I finally got rid of them.

 

[terrilhb]

Don't I know it. I feel your pain. Mine fly over the fence and than run back and forth too. Like help. But try to help and they runaway.

I ended up locking them up in their coop and run for a little over 5 weeks. I am slowly letting them out every couple of days. Until they learn to go up. Mine live with 2 bucks and 3 RIR hens and they run from my chickens. Especially my hen Moon. She is 8 months old. She will not let them eat her food or allow them on the steps or allow them to do anything she does not like.

But I still love them. Good luck. They are actually smarter than they act. They just like us to think they are stupid.

 

[mkcolls]

terrilhb:

Could we please,

borrow your hen Moon?

I would love for her to put fear into our guineas and teach our pullets to fight back.

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote:
LOL just figure in the cost of the wire (or at least tarps!) for covering your chicken runs now and hope it all evens out in the end. Ya gotta beat them at their own game and make them get back to earning their keep being on barnyard watch and with the tick and snake patrol!

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote:
That's because "they are flock oriented", but realistically that translates into "you need more than 2 to make a whole Guinea brain"

I think I read on this forum a while back that it takes at least 5 Guineas to make an entire Guinea brain... and MOST days, I have to agree