Missing feathers off guineas back.

[Duck_life]

Hi, I have 3 guineas I keep with the chickens. When I brought home my first guineas I noticed hey had some feathers missing, some with barely any tail feathers then their was my male.. I thought it was a female but I think I may be wrong.. anyways I have 1 female and 2 males that ALWAYS get along, I'm always monitoring them and they haven't even started breeding yet. They're about 6 months old. My male has missing feathers on the back, has always been like that.. I don't understand why or if he can survive the winter like that..

 

[R2elk]

Hi, I have 3 guineas I keep with the chickens. When I brought home my first guineas I noticed hey had some feathers missing, some with barely any tail feathers then their was my male.. I thought it was a female but I think I may be wrong.. anyways I have 1 female and 2 males that ALWAYS get along, I'm always monitoring them and they haven't even started breeding yet. They're about 6 months old. My male has missing feathers on the back, has always been like that.. I don't understand why or if he can survive the winter like that..

Guineas are seasonal layers. In your area they should start laying in April unless you are giving them supplemental light which may cause them to start laying earlier.

Part of the guinea's instinctive behavior is to chase, attack from behind and pull or break off feathers. Other poultry do not understand this behavior which is why guineas can cause extreme stress to chickens especially during breeding season.

Your male may have been on the lower end of the pecking order which would explain why his feathers are in such poor shape. They will grow back when he molts unless the bully pulling his feathers still has access to him.

 

[Duck_life]

Guineas are seasonal layers. In your area they should start laying in April unless you are giving them supplemental light which may cause them to start laying earlier.

Part of the guinea's instinctive behavior is to chase, attack from behind and pull or break off feathers. Other poultry do not understand this behavior which is why guineas can cause extreme stress to chickens especially during breeding season.

Your male may have been on the lower end of the pecking order which would explain why his feathers are in such poor shape. They will grow back when he molts unless the bully pulling his feathers still has access to him.

Alright, the guineas do pull on the chickens feathers when it's feeding time.. I know I have to separate eventually. So should he be fine during winter?

 

[R2elk]

Alright, the guineas do pull on the chickens feathers when it's feeding time.. I know I have to separate eventually. So should he be fine during winter?

If the guineas are already pulling chicken feathers it is only going to get worse. Having raised guineas both with and without chickens, I will no longer keep guineas with my chickens.

 

[Duck_life]

If the guineas are already pulling chicken feathers it is only going to get worse. Having raised guineas both with and without chickens, I will no longer keep guineas with my chickens.

The only problem is separating them.. They grew attached to those darn chickens so when I let them out they go with them, hopefully in the spring i'll have some luck.