Our 2 female guineas are fighting

[2ndTink]

We have 2 female guineas and 4 males, they are 19 weeks old now and this morning when we let them out they are total chaos, the 2 females are fighting and then the males are chasing the lavender female and pecking her, she runs but when she gets overtaken she hunkers down which I'm assuming is a submissive stance. The males are chasing her, pecking her, but when the pearl female gets close the lavender female goes on the attack. Any ideas on what is going on?

Mostly before it has been the males having spats but never this persistent or aggressive.

 

[R2elk]

We have 2 female guineas and 4 males, they are 19 weeks old now and this morning when we let them out they are total chaos, the 2 females are fighting and then the males are chasing the lavender female and pecking her, she runs but when she gets overtaken she hunkers down which I'm assuming is a submissive stance. The males are chasing her, pecking her, but when the pearl female gets close the lavender female goes on the attack. Any ideas on what is going on?

Mostly before it has been the males having spats but never this persistent or aggressive.

Pecking order aka dominance dispute.

 

[2ndTink]

That was my best case guess, thanks for responding so quickly! They have our yard and all the neighbors farm land to settle it in. How long do they usually take to resolve a dispute?

 

[R2elk]

That was my best case guess, thanks for responding so quickly! They have our yard and all the neighbors farm land to settle it in. How long do they usually take to resolve a dispute?

It depends on how evenly matched they are and how much they dislike each other. If they are evenly matched, it can take a long time.

 

[2ndTink]

The lavender is definitely smaller but she's been fighting hard.

 

[R2elk]

The lavender is definitely smaller but she's been fighting hard.

Size is not always the determining factor.

 

[2ndTink]

Not the size of the guinea in the fight, but the size of the fight in the guinea.

Should be interesting.

 

[Sydney65]

Not the size of the guinea in the fight, but the size of the fight in the guinea.

Should be interesting.

Are the males grays as well? My male lav was extremely small as a keet. At first the others seemed to protect him, but at some point he became the outcast. Everyone's grown up now, but he's still the outcast. Now I have 2 females who are 2 days shy of 19 wks. The elders always tolerated them well, but this week have begin chasing them away, try to block them from entering coop, so &i have to have front and back doors open so they can sneak in the back, and sometimes they get blocked there.

 

[2ndTink]

Are the males grays as well? My male lav was extremely small as a keet. At first the others seemed to protect him, but at some point he became the outcast. Everyone's grown up now, but he's still the outcast. Now I have 2 females who are 2 days shy of 19 wks. The elders always tolerated them well, but this week have begin chasing them away, try to block them from entering coop, so &i have to have front and back doors open so they can sneak in the back, and sometimes they get blocked there.

There are 3 male lavender and 1 male pearl. 2 of the lavender males are just as big or maybe a touch bigger than the pearl male.

 

[Sydney65]

There are 3 male lavender and 1 male pearl. 2 of the lavender males are just as big or maybe a touch bigger than the pearl male.

Ah. I was just curious bc mine was the only lavender. I felt that was the cause of him being the outcast. The 2 girls, one is brown, one is gray, so they're definitely just getting educated abt hierarchy. They don't hurt them, just torment by chasing and blocking the entrance. Aside from the fact that I'm freezing my butt off or being rained on while this is going on, I'm ok w/it. The little twirps need the education. Lol.