Question about keeping my guineas off my front porch?

[funfeatheredfeet]

HELP!!! Is it possible to train my guineas to stay off my front porch? They are 9 wks. old and free range but want to perch on the porch where we don't want them.

Thanks for anyones advice.

 

[nursesammy]

Do they perch off and on threw out the day or only at night? Either way they should stop once they get a bit older and venture out more. I had the same problem. Mine are 20 wks now. They still try at night at times but i just shew them away an their good.

 

[shelleyd2008]

If you figure it out, will you let me know? Mine were roosting in a hoop house with some chickens, but apparently they didn't like getting locked up. So they started roosting on top of a building frame (that doesn't ever seem to be getting to the 'building' stage...but that's another story), then they found the porch rafters. All the other guineas roost in the rafters of the barn, but these are younger, probably by 3 months or so. They were always kept apart, so they don't integrate with the 'barn roosters'. I'm really getting tired of cleaning poop of the front porch, but I hate to scare them off at night!

 

[caral07]

Yes mine were bad about the porch to. I didnt raise mine so I couldnt touch them but I would shew them toward the coop and they would roost on top or the run. If you can pick them up do that and move them. Hope this helps!!!!

 

[Farmboy13]

I have the same problem and there is not really a way to keep them off. Its just somthing you have to live with by having guineas sorry.

 

[ssgreer1]

so is there hope that they may venture further once they are a bit older? Mine are about 3 months old and I am not sure how they are going to control ticks if they are always next to my house.

 

[PeepsCA]

You could try getting a motion activated sprinkler or 2 to help keep them back farther from the house... and also I would stop feeding them or giving them any treats anywhere near your house. They will eventually roam farther (especially next season when they start breeding and the Hens start laying) but if you only have a small flock they may always choose to stick closer to home than a larger flock would (the safety in numbers thing). You could also try putting up some old mirrors for them and creating tempting dust bathing spots for them in the areas you'd rather have them /free ranging/roaming in. Try to make areas on your property that are more interesting to hang out at than close to the house. Not sure where your coop/pen is located, but it's always a good idea to build their coop/pen as far from your house as possible, and as close to the area you want them free ranging in (hindsight is always 20/20!)

 

[gootziecat]

Wonder if hanging aluminum pie pans would work?

 

[PeepsCA]

It will... for a minute, lol. Once Guineas get used to spooky things... they are no longer spooky, or effective. Keep changing out the spooky things and you might have better success, but IME motion activated sprinklers are fail proof.

 

[JLeigh]

I've used the following method on guineas and chickens. Take an umbrella and when you see them on the porch, go out and open/close, open/close, open/close the umbrella as fast as you can. They hate it - it's a huge predator flying down to them in their eyes. It will take a few times, and you'll have to reinforce it every now and then, but it will definitely lessen their porch time.

Screaming "GET OFF MY PORCH!!" has no effect though - just FYI . It's best not to let them see you with the umbrella if you can help it.

Edit: then go to the area where you'd like them to hang out and give them their favorite treat to reinforce the "good place".