Lost guinea

[chickenenthusiasts5698]

I went to catch my 3 Guinea hens today to move into my flock of laying hens and one got loose and flew off..any chance I might get her back? Why are Guineas so slippery
she won’t come to treats i’m going to go back out tonight to see if I can find where she says sleeping (hopefully not high up) she flew into both of my neighbors yard and a field across the street from me. I don’t have a lot of hope i’m really sad about this even though they hate me I love them (as much as you can love a Guinea....)

 

[Trimurtisan]

I went to catch my 3 Guinea hens

That is mistake number 1! Lol, that's how I used to keep my son busy. "Hey bud, can you grab me that guinea?"

Okay, in all seriousness, how long was she in the previous home/coop? If she knows where homes is, I'd say there is a very good chance she'll be back. They have a very strong flock mentality, and often if only 1 gets out, it will not go far from it's flock. It's actually kind of how you train them to come back to a coop, by letting only a portion of them out at 1 time. Because they do not like to be split up, they normally won't go far at all. When I did that style of training here the ones that where out literally would not go more than 5 feet away. You gilr might have just flown off because guineas are stubborn and love freedom, but I do believe she is near by.

By the way, it's better if she does get nice and high. Preferably high enough land predators can't climb up to her.

 

[chickenenthusiasts5698]

That is mistake number 1! Lol, that's how I used to keep my son busy. "Hey bud, can you grab me that guinea?"

Okay, in all seriousness, how long was she in the previous home/coop? If she knows where homes is, I'd say there is a very good chance she'll be back. They have a very strong flock mentality, and often if only 1 gets out, it will not go far from it's flock. It's actually kind of how you train them to come back to a coop, by letting only a portion of them out at 1 time. Because they do not like to be split up, they normally won't go far at all. When I did that style of training here the ones that where out literally would not go more than 5 feet away. You gilr might have just flown off because guineas are stubborn and love freedom, but I do believe she is near by.

By the way, it's better if she does get nice and high. Preferably high enough land predators can't climb up to her.

My moms dog spooked her and I swear the other 2 Guineas were calling her back she’s been in her coop right at a week or a little over a week..so i’m not really hopeful but regardless I left the old coop open and even though her friends aren’t in there i’m hoping she’ll go back.

 

[chickenenthusiasts5698]

Can you clip their wings? If so I more than likely will they’re so sneaky!

 

[Trimurtisan]

Can you clip their wings? If so I more than likely will they’re so sneaky!

You can, but it will cut down on her abilty to fly away from predators. Do you plan on free ranging them or will they be kept in a coop/run? I don't clip our but she not in a run either. If she was in a run I'd say go for it.

A week is not that long, but with her flock mates being over there she'll hopefully come back. I would try and put some food and water in her old house in the morning and just keep an eye on it if you can. Then sneak up and close the door. Like REALLY SNEAKY! Our guinea has spent a few nights outside being stubborn. To be honest of the 5 species of birds we have, the guinea is the one that worries me least with predators.

How old are they?

 

[chickenenthusiasts5698]

You can, but it will cut down on her abilty to fly away from predators. Do you plan on free ranging them or will they be kept in a coop/run? I don't clip our but she not in a run either. If she was in a run I'd say go for it.

A week is not that long, but with her flock mates being over there she'll hopefully come back. I would try and put some food and water in her old house in the morning and just keep an eye on it if you can. Then sneak up and close the door. Like REALLY SNEAKY! Our guinea has spent a few nights outside being stubborn. To be honest of the 5 species of birds we have, the guinea is the one that worries me least with predators.

How old are they?

They’re a year old..I don’t worry to much about her since i’ve had the occasional free range chicken not go in the pen at bedtime and live so i’m hoping this will be the case if I can’t find her. I don’t think i’ll free range them I honestly don’t know I probably won’t i’ve heard a lot of bad things about guineas free ranging so they’ll be in a run.

 

[chickenenthusiasts5698]

Not sure if this isn’t helpful info but the man I bought them from free ranged them. So at least she knows what she’s doing.

 

[chickenenthusiasts5698]

She came home! She was begging to get back into the coop. Guess guineas aren’t as stupid as I thought! Tonight I am clipping wings.

 

[Guinealand]

Can you clip their wings? If so I more than likely will they’re so sneaky!

Personally I don't think clipping their wings would help enough to risk making them more vulnerable to predators. Even if they can't fly away from you they still can run like crazy.

 

[Henry&Friends]

Guess guineas aren’t as stupid as I thought!

Yes they are.

Glad to hear she came back.