Only 1 male guinea with my hens

[Chickn Keaper]

I have noticed alot of feathers missing on some of my hens bellies and 2 have been killed. I rehomed 1 to avoid that and I think it maybe my male guinea doing the killing. I have no females and intend to get none. What to do with male? Assume he is the murderer? Is that likely under the circumstances? Help!!!

 

[sourland]

Separate him from the flock before more are killed.

 

[Chickn Keaper]

Separate him from the flock before more are killed.

That's what I thought, thank you!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I have noticed alot of feathers missing on some of my hens bellies and 2 have been killed. I rehomed 1 to avoid that and I think it maybe my male guinea doing the killing. I have no females and intend to get none. What to do with male? Assume he is the murderer? Is that likely under the circumstances? Help!!!

I’m sorry to hear that you lost some hens! You don’t know how they died? Were they free ranging or penned? Were there just missing feathers, or other wounds? Have they been acting sick, laying normally? Do you have a rooster as well?

I think it’s hard to say from your description above whether your guinea cock killed your hens. Guineas can be quarrelsome and pugnacious, but I think a lone cock kept with hens would view them more as potential mates rather than as competition... Have you seen him be aggressive with your birds?

 

[My2butterflies]

I too am curious for more details. I’ve never seen a male guinea pull stomach or chest feathers from females.
Don’t they pluck their own stomach/chest feathers when they go broody?

Did you by chance take pictures of the dead birds?

 

[Chickn Keaper]

I’m sorry to hear that you lost some hens! You don’t know how they died? Were they free ranging or penned? Were there just missing feathers, or other wounds? Have they been acting sick, laying normally? Do you have a rooster as well?

I think it’s hard to say from your description above whether your guinea cock killed your hens. Guineas can be quarrelsome and pugnacious, but I think a lone cock kept with hens would view them more as potential mates rather than as competition... Have you seen him be aggressive with your birds?

 

[Chickn Keaper]

Sorry it took ao long, thank you for taking an interest Let me answer your questions one at a time. They were penned, I didn't see any other wounds and they were not sick. I don't know if they were laying normally. I assume they were., they live on another property i get there once a day to care for them. And we have no roosters. I thought the same about one kept alone. He tried to mate the hens but they were having none of it. They weren't overly fond of him. He has mobility issues so he is not steady on his feet. When he'd try to mount them they'd squeak and run. Thought nothing of it. As I think back in what I saw I didn't see a problem just male guinea who's not gonna get any but the other day I saw him go aggressively after one of the girls and it clicked. He'd snap at them, why, I don't know but nevertheless... and generally miss but that made me think he's probably the feather puller. And to take that a step farther once there are no more feathers he catches skin. He does that enough and creates a hole or a giant wound. Mind you i never saw wounds but maybe they were never there to see. Once he got ahold of skin it ended quickly or not quickly... but shortly thereafter. I never saw any of this but it is my logical progression. What do you think? I have no pictures of the dead hens.

 

[Chickn Keaper]

I also have other girls with feathers missing right about at his head level. I also believe they are new layers so new female hormone emissions. This new layer status and feathers missing has just begun. Hhhmmm...

 

[Chickn Keaper]

I also have other girls with feathers missing right about at his head level. I also believe they are new layers so new female hormone emissions. This new layer status and feathers missing has just begun. Hhhmmm...

Replying to butterflies. These girls, all of them, have never gone broody.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Sorry it took ao long, thank you for taking an interest Let me answer your questions one at a time. They were penned, I didn't see any other wounds and they were not sick. I don't know if they were laying normally. I assume they were., they live on another property i get there once a day to care for them. And we have no roosters. I thought the same about one kept alone. He tried to mate the hens but they were having none of it. They weren't overly fond of him. He has mobility issues so he is not steady on his feet. When he'd try to mount them they'd squeak and run. Thought nothing of it. As I think back in what I saw I didn't see a problem just male guinea who's not gonna get any but the other day I saw him go aggressively after one of the girls and it clicked. He'd snap at them, why, I don't know but nevertheless... and generally miss but that made me think he's probably the feather puller. And to take that a step farther once there are no more feathers he catches skin. He does that enough and creates a hole or a giant wound. Mind you i never saw wounds but maybe they were never there to see. Once he got ahold of skin it ended quickly or not quickly... but shortly thereafter. I never saw any of this but it is my logical progression. What do you think? I have no pictures of the dead hens.

So when you found the dead hens, were there large holes in them? Where were the holes? When kind of fencing do you have? I’m also wondering about weasels or rats...