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

[mkcolls]

PeepsCA:

You are right we need to add run covering into the solution possibilities.

But, no way is five guineas enough to make one brain.

 

[elevan]

My guineas reside in a 4 acre field but it's not good enough - they'd rather be in our backyard and then that wasn't good enough so they flew into the front. It's been a constant battle and then today...

About 6:30 this evening I heard the guineas making an awful racket outside. Thinking something was obviously wrong I headed out the back door. To spy 9 of the 10 guineas in the neighbors yard on the other side of a 6 foot high fence and the couldn't figure out how to get back. The 9th guinea was in the buck's field trying to figure out how the other 9 got over the fence. Argh!

So I grabbed a bucket of scratch and went their way, shaking it. They frantically started to run back and forth along the fence line....9 on the other side and one on this side. Guineas seem to be attached at the hip. Finally one figured out that s/he needed to fly up and over. Another 10 minutes went by before a 3rd flew over. And then the other 7 REALLY started to panic. At this time it was almost 7 and almost dark. I kept coaxing and finally the last 7 flew up and over. Now, I had to coax them out of the buck's field as their coop is in the main field. So this time I took to herding them toward the turkey coop and the gate with the tom turkey following me. I get almost to the turkey coop and Ranger (buck) comes running up and runs right through them sending guineas scattering.

So I herded them all together again and we headed for the gate, opened it up and now they were in the backyard...one more gate to go through.

I manage to get them to the main field gate and then decide to run the other way. So I opened the gate wider and went to rounding them up again. They're almost at the gate when Jerry (llama) started to come through it, so the guineas run the other way again.

I grabbed the feed bucket (which was empty) and hung it on the fence to distract Jerry and get him away from the gate. And finally, I manage to get the guineas into the main field.

So I turn back and go to let the turkeys into their coop...to find hen turkey on top of the coop. Does this surprise you? It shouldn't...you should have seen this coming. I opened the coop door and herded tom in and swatted hen off the roof. She takes off into the buck's field...so I chase her down and herd her back. Finally get her in and them locked up.

Go back to the main field...it's pretty well dark now by the way. And the guineas are next to the coop totally flipped out acting as if they cannot find the pop door.

So, I open the human door and shoo them in.

Oh and yesterday they were gonna gang up on my Basenji and beat the snot outta him. Poor dog was out in the back yard minding his own business when they flew over the fence and en mass moved toward him. They all stopped right in front of him and he looked up and then went back to his business. The head guinea started yelling and they all rotated around to behind the dog. One more yell and they circled him and started moving in. I had to run out into the yard to save my 32# dog from a butt whooping or save the guineas from being dinner for the dog.

Guineas are crazy.

From my journal on BYH

 

[terrilhb]

Quote:

Sorry to laugh at you.

I have been through all of that well the chasing the guinea's. My guinea's hate my daughter's cat. And the cat is terrified of them. They scream and fly at the poor thing.

 

[terrilhb]

Quote:
She is the only one out of the 3 hens that does this. I have 1 hen Star she is the head hen, then Moon, and then Willow. Star pecks Moon, Moon pecks everyone else. It is hilarious to watch her chase 9 guinea's around. She is on her way. LOL

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

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

I can't imagine having more then two

The two I had drove me crazy as it was LOL

 

[highline]

Quote:
Yeah, I understand the freezer camp idea.... Yesterday while trying to coax them back in, one of them decided to make a left turn in flight and flew to the neighbors pasture. So, like a dummy I climbed over horse fence (no gate available) to, well you know... Seems to me the only thing they are learning is that I'm about as stupid as they are.

 

[silkielover92]

Mine make it back over the fence every night when they run the fence line all day.

 

[Mamaboid]

My 8 girls jump onto the goat feed box, then onto the top of the goat fence then fly into the goat pen....and spend the rest of the day screaming because they cannot get back out. When we go down to put the goats in at night, we open the gate and the guineas have their nightly parade out of the goat pen.. and promptly turn around and if we don't stop them start the whole process over again. If we manage to keep them out of there, they spend the next 15 minutes running back and forth in front of the fence screaming because they cannot get back in.

What really drives me nuts is when they run back and forth and back and forth for 20 minutes in front of the ramp to the coop, and cannot figure out how to get in??? Then all of the sudden, just about the time I have lost all sense of humor with the whole situation, one will turn and (snap) just like that, they all learn how to go up the ramp that has been there all along and in they go.

Next day SSDD.
My DH says that 2 syllable sound they make is not buck-wheat, it is a very nasty phrase that sums up their whole attitude towards the human race. (Use your imagination)! I think he may be on to something here .

 

[terrilhb]

Quote:

 

[aoxa]

My chickens do this..

They went right through the gate to my front fenced in yard, and kept walking from one post to another trying to figure out where the flipping door went!

Silly chickens! Silly Guineas!