Sad about roadkill guinea

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

So, since spring started, our guineas have been acting pretty crazy in the morning. A few weeks ago, I started seeing them run into the busy road near our house. Guineas and cars.... they just don’t get it. I would chase them back when I saw this, but was very inconsistent since I work days. I had decided that I need to pen them until they’ve settled down, so got an elective fence and net for the top, planning to put it up last weekend. However, I watched and didn’t see them going to the busy road. We also have ticks emerging now, and that’s the main reason that we have guineas. Also, there is so much chasing going on in the mornings, that I was afraid that they would chase each other into the hot fence. So, I decided not to put the fence up last weekend. At lunch today, I found a dead guinea in the busy road, so bad decision!!!! One of my few guinea cocks, too. Brandon the lavender pied guinea. Why do I always lose the males??? I already had an unbalanced, female heavy flock! I am so sad, and now I still need to figure something out with the electric fence, but I’m working and supposed to leave town this Saturday. Bleh.

 

[hysop]

So, since spring started, our guineas have been acting pretty crazy in the morning. A few weeks ago, I started seeing them run into the busy road near our house. Guineas and cars.... they just don’t get it. I would chase them back when I saw this, but was very inconsistent since I work days. I had decided that I need to pen them until they’ve settled down, so got an elective fence and net for the top, planning to put it up last weekend. However, I watched and didn’t see them going to the busy road. We also have ticks emerging now, and that’s the main reason that we have guineas. Also, there is so much chasing going on in the mornings, that I was afraid that they would chase each other into the hot fence. So, I decided not to put the fence up last weekend. At lunch today, I found a dead guinea in the busy road, so bad decision!!!! One of my few guinea cocks, too. Brandon the lavender pied guinea. Why do I always lose the males??? I already had an unbalanced, female heavy flock! I am so sad, and now I still need to figure something out with the electric fence, but I’m working and supposed to leave town this Saturday. Bleh.

Sorry to hear that. I’m the opposite. I lost all my females. Started with a flock of 18 keets. Now I only have 6 adult guineas all male! If you lived closer I’d propose a trade I will say this, since I lost my last female my males have been way quieter than normal. I won’t be letting them free range until the grass starts growing longer and the bugs are enough to satisfy all my birds.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I’ve been looking for pictures of Brandon. Found a juvenile pic (lavender pied on box), an adult (far right), and a video of him sliding on the ice. He was such a beautiful bird and close buddy of Bruiser, the pearl pied. I think Brandon was also Violet’s mate. His flock is really going to miss him, as will I. I thought they’d be calling for him at bedtime tonight, but instead they seemed quiet and subdued.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

And.... I just found another guinea cock dead on a different road! What is it about the males getting killed??? Now I have a seriously unbalanced flock again, and I desperately need to get that pen fence up!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Picture of Kaesar, Brandon, and Bruiser a few months ago. Kaesar and Brandon, the purple and the lavender pied cocks, are the two recently killed on two roads bordering out property. Today, I locked them up until 2 PM, hoping that they wouldn’t want to explore (probably for nesting sites) in the afternoon. The lockup was hard on the subordinate hens, who would be attacked if they came to the coop floor while the remaining males were there. When I let them out, Violet, lowest on the pecking order, was determined to lead the group across the street, so I had to stand there with a stick repeatedly turning them back. I’m guessing that Violet has a nest across the street. Violet was also really pitiful in constantly calling, finally leaving the group to walk around and call and call. I’m guessing that Brandon was her beau; they would have made such beautiful babies. I’ve felt just sick about the deaths. Two guineas in two days - and one road is a slow, not busy road with good visibility. I suspect that Kaesar, at least, was purposefully hit. After all of that, Violet didn’t want to roost in the coop; I can’t blame her - I’ll have to lock them up again tomorrow. I really hope that they keep going in at night! Plan is to erect the pen Sunday...

 

[hysop]

Sorry to hear that it was possible someone purposely ran over one. I can’t believe people don’t understand that all animals may have babies or significant others that will miss them when they’re gone. Yeah some may also have us humans, but at least we understand they won’t be coming back. Babies and significant others will continue to call for them and it’s sad.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Sorry to hear that it was possible someone purposely ran over one. I can’t believe people don’t understand that all animals may have babies or significant others that will miss them when they’re gone. Yeah some may also have us humans, but at least we understand they won’t be coming back. Babies and significant others will continue to call for them and it’s sad.

I stood outside at the edge of our property for hours yesterday afternoon, doing whatever I can not to lose anymore birds by keeping them from leaving our property to cross “A Street”. During that time, I did see one person that I suspect. A Street is a tiny road, only two blocks long and dead ends into two small neighborhoods, but a new small neighborhood is being developed off of A Street, near the main road. Someone associated with that development project, in a large maroon truck, turned out of the project and headed towards the dead end at high speed. He went a block, turned around, then headed back towards the main road, again at high speed. I was suspicious so stepped to the edge of the road and gave him a hard stare, herding stick in hand... He did move over for me then roared off. There is no good reason for him to be cruising this small street at high speeds. I hope he knows that someone is around and looking out for him now. I’m a little hot tempered; I’m trying to keep it together and resist going to the construction site and start making evidence-free accusations...

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Poor picture of Violet next to our compost pile. She’s still walking around and around, constantly calling. The flock follows her for awhile, then gives up so she is wandering alone. She’s also constantly organizing guinea parties to try get across the street where Kaesar was killed, so I had another fun afternoon of standing guard at the edge of our property. Our neighbors driving past must think I’m totally bonkers!!! I’m guessing that Violet has a nest in the woods across this street... or maybe it’s the last place that she saw her mate when he was killed and she’s trying to get to him? They almost evaded me; they went around me through dense woods and came back out to the road 1/2 block from their usual crossing place. I had to sprint to head them off (wearing calf length rubber boots!), and they almost darted across the road before I could get there... Why are they so crafty about sneaking across the road, but so stupid about cars???

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I guess I’ll keep updating here, on what’s become a rambling thread! I separately posted a thread on the new electric net pen that all guineas are now houses in. It’s been 10 days now. I had suspected that one gal, Violet, has made a nest across the street, and was leading the rest of the flock across the street and causing all of this grief. Last year, the flock didn’t start laying until mid April, so I was caught flat footed by the early nesting behavior. Once I had them penned, Violet would run back and forth along the fence line, consistent with trying to get to a nest, or with being desperate to escape since she is picked on. As of now, I have found two tiny pullet eggs on the ground in the run, and no other eggs in 10 days! So, all of this fuss and losing two males was apparently due to one young hen who decided to lay eggs way before any of the others! That’s unfortunate, as I don’t feel like I can let them out until most girls are laying and have accepted the nest boxes that we’ve provided, so they may be penned for some time yet!

 

[Sydney65]

So, since spring started, our guineas have been acting pretty crazy in the morning. A few weeks ago, I started seeing them run into the busy road near our house. Guineas and cars.... they just don’t get it. I would chase them back when I saw this, but was very inconsistent since I work days. I had decided that I need to pen them until they’ve settled down, so got an elective fence and net for the top, planning to put it up last weekend. However, I watched and didn’t see them going to the busy road. We also have ticks emerging now, and that’s the main reason that we have guineas. Also, there is so much chasing going on in the mornings, that I was afraid that they would chase each other into the hot fence. So, I decided not to put the fence up last weekend. At lunch today, I found a dead guinea in the busy road, so bad decision!!!! One of my few guinea cocks, too. Brandon the lavender pied guinea. Why do I always lose the males??? I already had an unbalanced, female heavy flock! I am so sad, and now I still need to figure something out with the electric fence, but I’m working and supposed to leave town this Saturday. Bleh.

Aw..catching up with you..not Brandon I'm sorry, and abt Kaesar. Dying keets was bad enough, would be hard to lose one of my knuckleheads now. Hope the fence helped.