Integrating tame guinea into flock

[KirbyH]

I have written about this bird elsewhere on this site. In short she has been in my care since she hatched. She was injured by the turkey who hatched her. Now four and a half months later I am attempting to acquaint her with the neighborhood flock. There is a subset of this flock who hang around her and do not act aggressively toward her. I put her into a small coop every day and spread millet around to attract the birds. I plan to continue this practice until she looks like an adult and not a juvenile. I was told by a vet who specializes in birds that if the birds think she’s a stranger or just because of pecking order she could get beaten up bad if she isn’t accepted by at least some of the birds. I can see wants to be with the other birds. I am uploading pix of her with the four birds who seem to prefer her and her coop situation. She is presently living in and out of a cage in my house. She appears attached to her humans and likes at her choosing, being held and having her neck scratched. She gets lonely when her humans aren’t in the room with her. I would appreciate advice on this process of letting her free. Here she is in her coop with her friends around. I believe they are three males and one female.

 

[R2elk]

View attachment 2000821 View attachment 2000823 I have written about this bird elsewhere on this site. In short she has been in my care since she hatched. She was injured by the turkey who hatched her. Now four and a half months later I am attempting to acquaint her with the neighborhood flock. There is a subset of this flock who hang around her and do not act aggressively toward her. I put her into a small coop every day and spread millet around to attract the birds. I plan to continue this practice until she looks like an adult and not a juvenile. I was told by a vet who specializes in birds that if the birds think she’s a stranger or just because of pecking order she could get beaten up bad if she isn’t accepted by at least some of the birds. I can see wants to be with the other birds. I am uploading pix of her with the four birds who seem to prefer her and her coop situation. She is presently living in and out of a cage in my house. She appears attached to her humans and likes at her choosing, being held and having her neck scratched. She gets lonely when her humans aren’t in the room with her. I would appreciate advice on this process of letting her free. Here she is in her coop with her friends around. I believe they are three males and one female.

I use a similar set up except that I put it in the coop and leave the guinea/guineas there all the time with food and water in the cage. Once the other guineas stop trying to fight through the wire, I start releasing the new guinea/guineas. If there are multiple guineas, I will release one a day until they have all been released.

In my opinion it is best to integrate new guineas when it is not breeding season so they don't have to deal with the raging hormones that occur during breeding season. I usually integrate new guineas when they are half grown in the fall of the year.

 

[KirbyH]

I use a similar set up except that I put it in the coop and leave the guinea/guineas there all the time with food and water in the cage. Once the other guineas stop trying to fight through the wire, I start releasing the new guinea/guineas. If there are multiple guineas, I will release one a day until they have all been released.

In my opinion it is best to integrate new guineas when it is not breeding season so they don't have to deal with the raging hormones that occur during breeding season. I usually integrate new guineas when they are half grown in the fall of the year.

Unfortunately there is no coop. These birds roost in the trees except Sooty who sometimes roosts with my chickens. I will watch to see if the aggressive pecking lets up. Is there any less aggression among the females?

 

[R2elk]

Unfortunately there is no coop. These birds roost in the trees except Sooty who sometimes roosts with my chickens. I will watch to see if the aggressive pecking lets up. Is there any less aggression among the females?

Females will be aggressive to a new female especially low pecking order females. The dominant guineas will quit harassing the new one sooner than the low pecking order ones will.

 

[KirbyH]

Females will be aggressive to a new female especially low pecking order females. The dominant guineas will quit harassing the new one sooner than the low pecking order ones will.

That explains the fact that the one female in the four who gravitate toward Popeye is also the most vigorous pecker. Popeye wants to be with the other birds but I do not feel she can be released until she looks adult. I don’t know what the turkeys who almost killed her as a hatchling think but they come around and poke at her and she freaks. They look as if they have no good on their minds. I run them off. I see today there is one of the four guineas, a lavender male, who is coming by himself to visit. She appears to like him. I’m more confident today this strategy may be working. I so appreciate your thoughts and advice so please keep an eye out for developments and know I welcome your thoughts and suggestions.

 

[R2elk]

That explains the fact that the one female in the four who gravitate toward Popeye is also the most vigorous pecker. Popeye wants to be with the other birds but I do not feel she can be released until she looks adult. I don’t know what the turkeys who almost killed her as a hatchling think but they come around and poke at her and she freaks. They look as if they have no good on their minds. I run them off. I see today there is one of the four guineas, a lavender male, who is coming by himself to visit. She appears to like him. I’m more confident today this strategy may be working. I so appreciate your thoughts and advice so please keep an eye out for developments and know I welcome your thoughts and suggestions.

You could attempt to catch him and put him in with her. Just be ready to immediately remove him if he becomes aggressive to her.

 

[KirbyH]

I think I’m going to just keep this up until she is mature. No need to rush things.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I’m trying to integrate adult and juvenile (6 mo) groups of guineas. It’s been difficult and slow-going, to say the least!!! If you have unpaired males that want to pair up with her, that could help. Right now, our younger males just want to hang out with the other guys while my older, adult male wants to chase off all of the younger birds... It’s my gals who seem more interested in finding unattached boys. However, I have an unbalanced, female heavy flock... Best of luck getting your girl successfully integrated! I’d love to hear updates!!!

 

[KirbyH]

I’m trying to integrate adult and juvenile (6 mo) groups of guineas. It’s been difficult and slow-going, to say the least!!! If you have unpaired males that want to pair up with her, that could help. Right now, our younger males just want to hang out with the other guys while my older, adult male wants to chase off all of the younger birds... It’s my gals who seem more interested in finding unattached boys. However, I have an unbalanced, female heavy flock... Best of luck getting your girl successfully integrated! I’d love to hear updates!!!

How old are the birds when they finally look adult? What do your 6 mo old birds look like?

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

How old are the birds when they finally look adult? What do your 6 mo old birds look like?

Our six month olds look very much like the almost 2 yr olds - hard to tell them apart! However, all 10 of the young ones act subordinate to all of the older ones. The adults chase the juveniles if they get within about 100 ft from them. How I’m ever going to get them into one coop I don’t know...