my Guinea's are bothering my neigghbors

[rjopp]

My birds have 90 acres to roam around but insist on crossing a busy road ( sometimes fly, sometimes walk) and fly onto the neigghbors roof, deck , etc. At first they all the birds were great but they are begginning to commplain. How doo i keep them home without having to pen them...?

 

[my sunwolf]

My birds have 90 acres to roam around but insist on crossing a busy road ( sometimes fly, sometimes walk) and fly onto the neigghbors roof, deck , etc. At first they all the birds were great but they are begginning to commplain. How doo i keep them home without having to pen them...?

Our neighbor bell-trained his guineas. Every time he scattered scratch/other treats, he rang a bell, and after a few days they would come at the sound of the bell, hoping to get more snacks

 

[rjopp]

It was suggested that i clip their wings. Is that done?

 

[Mtn Laurel]

A fence at the road to deter them? Might be enough of an obstruction to make them turn around and head in the other direction.

If you clip their wings, couldn't they just walk across the road?

 

[rjopp]

We did just put a gate across where we think they are crossing and yes i think clipping their wings will not stop determined birds. The problem is there is about 500 feet of a tree line along the road and i think they are judt walking through. I dont get why they wont go behind the housr where their coop is and all the open land

 

[my sunwolf]

Open space tends to freak poultry out, so they head for trees where they'll have cover from hawks and the hot sun.

 

[Cindy in PA]

I had luck training my first flock not to go to the one side of my property where my only neighbors are, but it takes time. Whenever I saw them go that direction I would go out and yell "back" and herd them back. I also used a cheap driveway alarm to let me know when they passed a point in the yard, so I had time to go chase them. It didn't take long for them to stop going that direction & go down towards my fields. I got my first ones as adults and they were used to sleeping outside, but I trained them to come in when I blew a whistle and gave them millet. Of course I learned this all from PeepsCA and others on here. I'm soon ready to let my 6 new ones loose with the 2 old timers, so we will see how this flock learns!

 

[JLeigh]

I wouldn't clip the wings of a free-ranging guinea, because you take away their ability to get away from predators. I'd try training first. I've trained my chickens (they aren't like guineas, I know, but it might work) to stay off my porch by opening and closing an umbrella as fast as it will go. I think it sounds like a huge flying predator to them, and they scatter like crazy. It works for a month or two, and then I have to do it again. You might try that at the point where they're crossing into an area you don't want them to go - in addition to the other suggestions.

I have problems with my neighbors as well, and it's a huge bummer. Sorry you're having to deal with this - I know how you feel.

 

[rjopp]

Thanks for the suggestions i will try teaching them to stay on the backside of the house and great idea to keep them of my deck thaks again

 

[PeepsCA]

Maybe you can try a motion activated sprinkler or 2 that will blast the birds each and every time they get close to the area they are using as their path to the road? They are a little pricey, but work great and you do not have to baby sit the birds/constantly correct them, the sprinklers can do that for you. I love Cindy's driveway alarm idea too, another way for you to not have to constantly be out there watching the birds, but you will of course need to run out there and head them off/chase them back home. Otherwise you will need to start letting the birds out only when you can keep an eye on them and correct them/shoo them back home when they head for the road/your neighbors... each and every time, no exceptions. Constant correction will teach them to stay home, but you have to be consistent with your corrections, this is key. If you are wishy-washy with your corrections the birds will never learn to stay home.

Hanging shiny scary things (pie tins, reflective bird tape, pinwheels, wind socks, old CDs etc) in their pathway that reflect light, move and make noise in the wind can also help deter them from going thru an area, but you will need to swap the scary things out on occasion or the birds just get used to them and go right on past them. I'd also ask your neighbors to hang up such things and also to scare the birds back home each and every time they end up over there. Explain to them the birds can be broken of their visiting habit, but you'll need a little help breaking them of it. You could suggest that they use JLeigh's opening /closing an umbrella idea, or shake an empty grain sack or towel at them, spray them with a hose, etc.... or you could also buy the neighbors a motion activated sprinkler as well, just to keep the peace. Also if they have wild bird feeders that they keep full that are attracting your birds there then you might suggest that they move them or stop filling them while you work on training the birds to stay home. Put out some old mirrors at bird level in places on your property that are as far away from the road/the neighbors' as possible, and create welcoming loose soil, wood ash and peat moss mix dust-bathing areas in front of them, Guineas love to dust bathe and see their own reflections. This can do wonders to keep them home too.

Having a treat call or noise/sound (a bell, whistle, jar or can with some pennies in it that you shake to get their attention) for them that you use consistently whenever you give them treats or food so they KNOW means food/treats is a very useful tool (for any animal!)... that way when you see the birds heading the wrong way you can call them back with your call or noise/sound of choice and they will come running back home to get a treat. I treat train all my flocks in their pens long before I start letting them free range, and once I do start free ranging the birds I call them back to me on and off thru the day at random times to keep them guessing. Keeping them guessing as to when the treats may be given out keeps them a little closer to home. I can get all my birds in easily at night and I can call them from anywhere on my property and they come running/flying at me because of the treat training. Nobody want to miss out on the goodies. If your flock is not used to a food/treat call or noise/sound you may need to lock them in the coop for a while and work on conditioning them to getting food treats every time you use the call or noise/sound.

There's no reason for your Guineas not to wanting to use your 90 acres, they are free rangers by nature. Guineas roam, wander and forage, it's what they do and it becomes their routine, one they stick to. I've never owned a Guinea that cared if they were out in the open pastures or closer to the trees... they cover every inch of my 10 acres, and roam all of it throughout the day, making several laps and sticking to their routine. What has happened with your birds is that something is attracting them over to your neighbors and it has become their routine to go over there... you'll need to make it undesirable to them to be over there and break their routine.