My Guineas have moved back into the coop

[racuda]

I have 35 Guineas and over the summer 20 of them gradually moved into the trees to roost. Tonight they all moved back into the coop. I was thinking it was because the leaves are off the trees now. Has anyone had this happen?

 

[robin416]

Chances are the weather drove them in. For some reason mine took to the trees one night a couple of years ago. I didn't feel like fooling with them and I knew some rough weather was coming in that night. They got pounded with rain and wind. If lightning had hit the two trees they were in they all would have been toasted. The next night they were all in their coop early.

 

[Toast n Jelly]

Leafless trees offer no windbreak and are open to preds...you have smart guineas!

 

[sourland]

One night time attack by a GHO will generally send them back to the coop.

 

[racuda]

Quote:
That is also a possibility. My wife said she heard a commotion a few nights ago with the Guineas raising heck. It even caused the dogs to start barking (I slept through it). I thought maybe it was an owl, but I found no feathers the next day. I did a head count tonight and all 35 are still roosting in the coop.

 

[zazouse]

Mine move in and out, i have a huge tree by the guinea house and some will stay in the tree one night and the guinea house the next.

 

[Poupoulles]

oh if only if only...

Mine only stayed in their coop for about two months. Then they moved out into a tree, from there to a more dense tangly tree. The coop that I slaved over sits empty. In fact I was going to post about this to ask if they were ok in the trees in the snow and howling wind with lows in the 20's. I admit I dont have a whole lot of sympathy but dont want them to suffer either. The door to their coop is closed since they havent used it in six months and I was tired of it banging.

Drat those birds! between the noise and the wasted time building the coop/brooding/dealing with the six weeks locked in the coop so they would know to use it... My dogs STILL got ticks.

 

[cackler]

I have 5 adult guineas that have free-ranged with the chickens for a year and 4 keets. The keets are old enough (born early Sept.) to range out of the coop - I opened their door almost 2 weeks ago - but so far they have not come out of the coop at all.

Everyone else comes and goes but the 4 little ones don't follow. I'm beginning to wonder if I should just coax them outside - it surprises me that they haven't done it one their own.

 

[robin416]

Quote:
If you have any hope of the flock surviving then you will have to take control of things. Open the door, do whatever it takes to keep it open during the day. Put food and treats in the coop only. Once they are in close the door and make them stay up for a couple of weeks.

Having Guineas is not a hands off endeavor, successful breeders or flock managers do not leave them to do on their own. They are trained to return to the coop each evening. Treats like millet help train them to where home is.

Depending on where your dogs hang out and where your Guineas hang out could explain the ticks. Our dogs stay near the coops and house where they rarely ever bring back a tick. If they go out in to the wind rows chances are they will come back with one or two. But then the Guineas don't spend a lot of time in the wind rows.

 

[robin416]

Quote:
Just leave them be. When they feel confident enough they will venture out on their own. There is a chance that the adults will round them up and take them out on an excursion too. I've watched mine, they gather the keets in to a tight grouping, one Guinea in front one in the rear and lead them every where. Heaven help the keet that breaks ranks because one of the adults will be right there to let them know they shouldn't.