Keeping guineas in the yard

[kathef64]

I need ideas for keeping my guineas from roosting at night. They were raised with chickens and went into the coop nicely until a few weeks ago.

Now they want to hop onto the fence and stay there all night.

So each night I go out there and make them get off and finally they march up the chicken ladder and go in.

Is there any help?

Please

 

[R2elk]

I need ideas for keeping my guineas from roosting at night. They were raised with chickens and went into the coop nicely until a few weeks ago.

Now they want to hop onto the fence and stay there all night.

So each night I go out there and make them get off and finally they march up the chicken ladder and go in.

Is there any help?

Please

Make sure you have adequate roosts in the coop (nice high ones) and continue to put them in at night. Others give treats in the coop in the evening. I herd mine into their coop every night or else the owls would have already eaten them.

Good luck.

 

[kathef64]

I do have very high roosts.

What kind of treats? How do you give them to the guineas? Toss them in after they go in?

Also, they are sitting on the fence when I come home - haven't figured out how to grab them.

 

[R2elk]

I do have very high roosts.

What kind of treats? How do you give them to the guineas? Toss them in after they go in?

Also, they are sitting on the fence when I come home - haven't figured out how to grab them.

If I was going to use treats, I would probably use white millet or meal worms. I would start by calling the guineas or use a bell but be consistent and always use the same sound. Toss the treats on the floor or ground when you are sure they can see you. Once they learn that they like the treats they will come when called. After you have them coming when you call, always give the treats in the coop and at the time that you want them in the coop for the night.

I don't feed my guineas treats. My method is to use a long stick or two as extensions of my arms and herd mine into the coop every night. They have been accustomed to the procedure and most evenings go in quickly. When the originals were young sometimes they would take to the trees so I would use a really long pole to harass them until they would leave the trees and then would herd them into the coop. You can condition them and they will soon stop doing things that cause them situations they do not enjoy.

If it were me, I would not attempt to catch them but would use a long stick to chase them off of the fence and then herd them into the coop. Make sure you are not trying to get them to go into a dark coop as you will most likely not be able to get them to go in. Be prepared to spend quite a bit of time getting them to do what you want the first few times but they will learn.

Good luck.