prepperchickens
Chirping
Please help!!! Newbie with questions regarding my mixed flock, including guineas and accidental rooster!
Please help!!! Newbie with questions regarding my mixed flock, including guineas and accidental rooster!
a few seconds ago
prepperchickens
So, as I said earlier, I am a novice with a mixed flock of guineas and chickens, all babies of varying ages.
1) 6 week old Amerecuana hen
2) 4 week old guinea hens
2) 10 day old (maybe 8 day) barred rock chicks, one male
My first question: aren't guineas supposed to be incredibly difficult to tame compared to chickens? I got my keets when they were already at least 10 days old, they were pretty skittish but in the past few weeks they've become much more social and docile, they're the ones who run to my hand first and the only ones who willingly jump into my hand to be picked up. I didn't know they were hard to tame until recently so I didn't even work with them that hard to get to this point. They're nervous but very willing to trust it's clear they are open to becoming house pets, it's like every single day they get more calm and more eager to see my husband and I. But out Amerecuana is a different story. We hold her daily but she is still terrified of hands reaching into the brooder, she freaks out and starts crying (that breed has the most adorable, sad little song) and running in circles almost hurting herself. Once you pick her up she calms down and will even go to sleep with her head tucked backward. She clearly prefers my husband, it appears she has a crush on him, she tolerates me. Is this breed known for being skittish even above wild birds like guineas? Also, do chickens get jealous? I swear she seemed jealous of the barred rock chicks whenever my husband would love on them, she even picked on them at first until she was scolded for it by my husband the second day, after that she has never bothered them. Can you actually scold chickens effectively? Is that a thing? So funny.
Second question: my baby barred rock roo is without a doubt the most attached to me. He was the first chick I bonded with specifically for his personality, he spent the first week here making me run to him all night long by chirping for me. Eventually I realized he always stopped chirping and relaxed as long as he could see me, he's attached to me. He and his sis spent the first night in the big brooder with the older birds because we didn't know any better, there was no problem but I did some reading and learned of the risks involved so I made a separate brooder and since then I keep the two babies in my bedroom at night, they spend daytime hours in the big brooder and the flock fully accepts them. Both the babies are very assertive and actually boss around the others who are many times their size ( The guineas are very submissive to the baby chicks especially, another reason I love guineas, they seem to be especially kind natured). But my question is, is there any way to help ensure that this precious little rooster of mine will still be friendly with me when he grows up? We didn't mean to get a rooster, we were wrongly informed by Rural King that the BR chicks were all female. But I love him and he's happy and I couldn't stand to give him up. I'm just really worried he's going to turn from this perfectly tame, affectionate chick to some crazy aggro rooster we as novices won't know how to handle. Any advice?
PS- anyone else here have guineas? What do you think of their personalities?
Please help!!! Newbie with questions regarding my mixed flock, including guineas and accidental rooster!
a few seconds ago
prepperchickens
So, as I said earlier, I am a novice with a mixed flock of guineas and chickens, all babies of varying ages.
1) 6 week old Amerecuana hen
2) 4 week old guinea hens
2) 10 day old (maybe 8 day) barred rock chicks, one male
My first question: aren't guineas supposed to be incredibly difficult to tame compared to chickens? I got my keets when they were already at least 10 days old, they were pretty skittish but in the past few weeks they've become much more social and docile, they're the ones who run to my hand first and the only ones who willingly jump into my hand to be picked up. I didn't know they were hard to tame until recently so I didn't even work with them that hard to get to this point. They're nervous but very willing to trust it's clear they are open to becoming house pets, it's like every single day they get more calm and more eager to see my husband and I. But out Amerecuana is a different story. We hold her daily but she is still terrified of hands reaching into the brooder, she freaks out and starts crying (that breed has the most adorable, sad little song) and running in circles almost hurting herself. Once you pick her up she calms down and will even go to sleep with her head tucked backward. She clearly prefers my husband, it appears she has a crush on him, she tolerates me. Is this breed known for being skittish even above wild birds like guineas? Also, do chickens get jealous? I swear she seemed jealous of the barred rock chicks whenever my husband would love on them, she even picked on them at first until she was scolded for it by my husband the second day, after that she has never bothered them. Can you actually scold chickens effectively? Is that a thing? So funny.
Second question: my baby barred rock roo is without a doubt the most attached to me. He was the first chick I bonded with specifically for his personality, he spent the first week here making me run to him all night long by chirping for me. Eventually I realized he always stopped chirping and relaxed as long as he could see me, he's attached to me. He and his sis spent the first night in the big brooder with the older birds because we didn't know any better, there was no problem but I did some reading and learned of the risks involved so I made a separate brooder and since then I keep the two babies in my bedroom at night, they spend daytime hours in the big brooder and the flock fully accepts them. Both the babies are very assertive and actually boss around the others who are many times their size ( The guineas are very submissive to the baby chicks especially, another reason I love guineas, they seem to be especially kind natured). But my question is, is there any way to help ensure that this precious little rooster of mine will still be friendly with me when he grows up? We didn't mean to get a rooster, we were wrongly informed by Rural King that the BR chicks were all female. But I love him and he's happy and I couldn't stand to give him up. I'm just really worried he's going to turn from this perfectly tame, affectionate chick to some crazy aggro rooster we as novices won't know how to handle. Any advice?
PS- anyone else here have guineas? What do you think of their personalities?
If you want to know more about guineas or have any questions about them, try the "Guinea Fowl" section.
welcome to BYC !!
