Now What?

[melroseladi]

Well things seemed to go well today. Bob and Lacey were paired up again, although they weren't all foraging together at least Rocky didn't try to run her off. BUT come time to go in the pens, Rocky and Sophia went in but Lacey and Bob wouldn't. I tried everything to scoot them in but Sophia ended up flying high up into a tree and within minutes Bob was up there with her. What the heck do I do now? We are out in the woods with huge owls, coyotes, coons, fox, you name it and we have it. Now Rocky is in his pen hollering and Bob answering him but he won't come down and is to high up for me to get to him.

 

[PeepsCA]

That's typical Guinea behavior right there, up in the tree when you want them to come in, lol. Sorry for your stress ladi, they won't be coming down until the sun comes up in the morning (if nothing gets them that is). I would herd them in/lure them in with food and lock them back up tomorrow if you can, and keep them in, hopefully breaking the roosting tree habit.

You will have to figure out which is the lesser of the 2 evils... losing Guineas to predators because they roost in the trees, or seeing them pace while locked up safe so they learn where to roost

 

[melroseladi]

Thanks PeepsCA. I will get them back in the pen tomorrow. That is where their food and water is so I know at some point they will go in there and they are going to be so grounded. Bob has never roosted in a tree in his life and I worry about him. I was worried about Lacey going in the trees because that is how she was raised. News flash Lacey, you are with me because your entire flock was wiped out roosting in trees. Dang Guineas are giving me more gray hair then my children did.

 

[robin416]

Get some millet, once they get a taste of it they are much more willing to come in at night. Once my stragglers hear the others in the coop making sounds of delight they can't get in fast enough. Its very rare that I have birds take to the trees for the night because they were trained to millet and if I'm not out there in time they're at the house telling me about it.

 

[melroseladi]

I have not been able to find plain millet but I do give them wild bird feed with millet that they are fed at night and do go to their pen for each night until last night. My new hen was trained to cracked corn so I put that in her pen as well.