One Guinea of 16 left after mass killing on 9/24/15

[pactricolor]

I have 9 chickens(born 6/1/15) and had 16 guineas(born 5/24/15). They all went into coop at night, every night. The chickens and guineas did their own thing during day. Chickens never wander very far from coop, unlike guineas who did. So they didn't hang together much. Three were killed in woods on way back to coop 2 weeks ago, just 3 piles of feathers. I thought the others would be aware now. Last night on way back to coop no guineas came back ----- 0. I was sick. I called, tried to find. This morning one started back calling. I found 4 headless bodies and 6 piles of feathers in horse field over my wall. What could get 10 guineas? Fox, dog, skunk, ?? I wanted the guinea and chickens to free range to eat bugs. I was present when a hawk came swooping down on the whole bunch and my one rooster chicken went nuts and the whole bunch(chickens and guineas) went running into bushes. I have 2 problems. #1 The one guinea left is calling for them constantly #2 Can I never free range. I think the chickens would be okay freeranging, but what of the one lone guinea. I have all of them in outside run/coop. Should I get a new guinea for company. If I leave them locked up will the guinea befriend the chickens and vice versa. I just buried the 4 guineas, I am sooooo sad.

 

[GitaBooks]

I am so sorry. That is so hard.

That is confusing, it almost sounds like two different predators. If the body simply vanishes it is likely a fox, but if it is still there it sounds more like a dog or coon.

I'm not sure what to do about your guinea, it would probably do well with a guinea friend. You could try getting a guinea nad penning it for a few weeks and your other guinea may stay around until the new one becomes use to its new home.

Best of luck!

 

[ShellyBear]

Coyotes

 

[CLSranch]

Coons and skunks will eat the heads 1st and eat all of it if given time. I have 1 guinea left after losing the rest and all but 1 rooster out of the 1st bunch I bought this year. I put out a lot of foot traps out. 5 coons 11 possums in a month. Also put a deer cam out. Found a possum in my trap and a coon on video at the same trap on the same night. Something was getting around my trap hence the cam. This time of year all predator moms are taking the kids out to learn to hunt coyotes included. I lost 30 chickens and guineas combined in 1 night while gone last yr. I'd talk to an old hunter or trapper for advice. Maybe penning them up for 2 wks could help. Teach the predator that there isn't easy food and giving you time to fix the problem. Hope this helps.

 

[CLSranch]

I got serious after last years 30 in a night end of Aug and then losing 6 out of 7 goats over winter. I have coons, possums coyotes, bobcats, skunks, and the occasional Mt. lion.

 

[pactricolor]

Thank you for all the thoughts and answers. The next issue I have is with one guinea left, all she does all day is call for them. They are all locked in coop and outside pen (9 chickens and one guinea). They ignore each other. I need company for this poor lone guinea, she went from 15 sista's to 0. I am in PA., I have not been able to locate someone with perhaps a juvenile guinea, mine is 4 months old, I think a keet would be too young. Is there any?

 

[hyelaw]

Thank you for all the thoughts and answers. The next issue I have is with one guinea left, all she does all day is call for them. They are all locked in coop and outside pen (9 chickens and one guinea). They ignore each other. I need company for this poor lone guinea, she went from 15 sista's to 0. I am in PA., I have not been able to locate someone with perhaps a juvenile guinea, mine is 4 months old, I think a keet would be too young. Is there any?

You could try putting a mirror in with her and see is that helps. We do have some males we need to get rid of if you want one, I'm in central Ohio, not sure how far into PA you are.

 

[MeepBeep]

Owls are also known to decapitate and leave the rest as well...

 

[GitaBooks]

Owls are also known to decapitate and leave the rest as well...

I agree that it could be an owls "MO" but could an owl kill that many guineas in one night? Or for that matter, could almost any predator besides a fox or a dog. You think once one guinea was caught the rest would run back to the coop.
Its all pretty confusing to me, actually.

 

[MeepBeep]

Owls are also known to decapitate and leave the rest as well...

I agree that it could be an owls "MO" but could an owl kill that many guineas in one night? Or for that matter, could almost any predator besides a fox or a dog. You think once one guinea was caught the rest would run back to the coop.
Its all pretty confusing to me, actually.

Guineas like chickens and most other poultry are nearly blind at night, and generally won't flee since they can't see... No pun intended but they generally become 'sitting ducks' at night and are easy to pick off one at a time or over a period of time while the other ones just sit there and wait their turn...

There are several predators that will kill a lot of birds at once and not eat them, even pint sized weasels are known to decimate entire flocks in a single night...

And don't focus too much on a single predator, one predator might have done most of the killing for fun while another stumbled by the kills and took a free meal...