I thought roosters were supposed to be tougher birds

[Carchick]

I recently purchased 2 adult hens and 1 rooster to add to my "flock" of 1 hen and 3 guinea birds. The rooster is afraid of the alpha guinea and just kinda hangs out in the coop almost all day long instead of the playyard w/ the other birds. The guineas don't really bother him so I don't know why he's not more assertive....is this typical roo behavior? Thanks for any help!

 

[speckledhen]

Oh, what you've gotten yourself into with guineas and chickens! I raised four guineas from tiny babies. My alpha male was very, very tame, but one day decided he hated one of my RIR hens and tried to beat her up every time he saw her. Nothing helped. I bought a very large Barred Rock rooster and after a quarantine period and having him with my flock for a few days, released the guineas. The alpha guinea started in on the new rooster. The roo held his own against the one guinea, but they attack as a pack and do bodyslams from different directions, not like chickens at all. Guineas are much tougher than chickens in a fight, I guarantee it. I eventually had to rehome my guineas, to my sadness, since I was keeping chickens, no matter what. It's just the guineas' wild nature. It isn't the rooster's fault-he knows when he's outgunned. No matter how many people tell you they have no problems with keeping them together, there are just as many who experienced what I did.

 

[2mnypets]

From everything I have read regarding the Guineas with the chickens, they all say the same thing. Gunineas are fine to hole up over night in the coop with the chickens, but other than that they should be separated due to the fact that they will continue to chase the roo's from the feeders and waterers. Roos don't seem to have a position when it comes to the Gunineas period.

 

[peacebird]

Mario beat the bejeepers out of my male guinea... so much so that we had to let the guinea go.

but Mario's a "chicken" roo around everyone else.....

 

[2mnypets]

That's great to hear what Mario did. Guess that period is not so period now