she won't shut up!

[thejoyofchicks]

as i compose this post, outside my door is a guinea hen who is driving us (mostly my husband...) CRAZY.

background info here, we have three year-old lavender guineas, two hens and a cock. they're noisy, always have been, but generally fine. at least, once past their obnoxious adolescence, they settled in and were no louder than i would expect. BUT NOW, oh now. now the low-hen-on-totem-pole spends entire days BUCKWHEATing her little lungs out. it's not a predator alert, it's just incessant noise. she only shuts up if i yell and fuss at her, which works for a moment or two.

does anyone, please oh please, have any ideas for me as far as calming her down? my DH has been threatening to catch her and drop her off somewhere far away for weeks now. and i have to say i kind of agree. not really. but for crying out loud!

the only suggestion i saw online that seemed even to help was that you need more than three guineas. of course, we started with 7 keets, but there are serious endemic predator issues in our area, and these birds free range all day. and just try suggesting to DH that i need MORE guineas...cause then they'd be quieter! ha.

ah, she just shut up for a minute. nope. there she goes again. HELP!

 

[Ravynscroft]

as i compose this post, outside my door is a guinea hen who is driving us (mostly my husband...) CRAZY.

background info here, we have three year-old lavender guineas, two hens and a cock.  they're noisy, always have been, but generally fine.  at least, once past their obnoxious adolescence, they settled in and were no louder than i would expect.  BUT NOW, oh now.  now the low-hen-on-totem-pole spends entire days BUCKWHEATing her little lungs out.  it's not a predator alert, it's just incessant noise.  she only shuts up if i yell and fuss at her, which works for a moment or two.  

does anyone, please oh please, have any ideas for me as far as calming her down?  my DH has been threatening to catch her and drop her off somewhere far away for weeks now.  and i have to say i kind of agree.  not really.  but for crying out loud!  

the only suggestion i saw online that seemed even to help was that you need more than three guineas.  of course, we started with 7 keets, but there are serious endemic predator issues in our area, and these birds free range all day.  and just try suggesting to DH that i need MORE guineas...cause then they'd be quieter!  ha.  

ah, she just shut up for a minute.  nope.  there she goes again.  HELP!

Sounds like she wants a boyfriend, lol... No, really that might be your problem. You said she is the subordinate hen, right? I believe that guineas 'pair up', so that would leave her out kinda like the 3rd wheel on a date. I could be mistaken, but I think that is what is going on. My advice is to either get more or rehome them, I wouldn't go less unless you decide to rehome all of them. Hope this helps, and good luck!

 

[mkeawsh]

I have 3 girls and 5 boys and one hen hardly makes any noise, the second does her share. But the third, it is never ending, but I really don't "hear' her any more. She is the one that seems to be lonely. Does not stay close to the rest of the flock. I have been debating whether to incubate some more this Spring to see if she can find some one to hang out in the younger ones. I feel sorry for her. She's with them but she's not. Even at night when she roost, she is either on a beam alone in the barn or a limb alone in the tree.

 

[thejoyofchicks]

i never thought i'd be so interested in the love affairs of my guinea fowl, that's for sure.

should i get another one (or two or twelve)? do you think it matters if i get a new male or female? many sellers don't really know, and for sure when they're young it can be hard to tell!

also, for you fellow guinea keepers, mine are free range during the day. i don't want to buy a new adult and just have it fly off home. i don't have a secondary pen that would be large enough for guineas to be happy at all. but younger guineas might be hard to find at this time of year, even in FL. any suggestions?

and besides getting miss obnoxiously lonesome a new friend, is there anything else i could do??

i would hope that once it gets warm again she will be diverted by egg laying and hatching, since that was her role last summer. but i don't think i can handle another winter with her like this.

 

[red horse ranch]

My female guineas seem to sing more in the spring. I've noticed that the males are already starting the 'chase' even tho it's still January. So I think part of the problem is spring hormones. And some females just like to sing! I guess I just don't pay attention to it any more than I do having my 6 roosters crowing... . It's all just country music!

 

[bayvistafarm]

I have a big pen with about 30 guinea's in it... and ALL the females in it, are the ones yacking. As in every second of every day. Until I turn out the lights.

A female thing, I think, LOL.

May as well add 25 or so more... one is just as bad as 20.

 

[thejoyofchicks]

I can picture my husband's face when I tell him 20 more! that'd be great.
the main issue is that she didn't used to be this way...they're at least 18m old, and this hen has only been making incessant noise for the past month. so I hoped to identify a cause!

 

[mkeawsh]

My female guineas seem to sing more in the spring. I've noticed that the males are already starting the 'chase' even tho it's still January. So I think part of the problem is spring hormones. And some females just like to sing! I guess I just don't pay attention to it any more than I do having my 6 roosters crowing... . It's all just country music!

It definitely is country music and I love it!

 

[Guineagang]

I would strongly advise in NOT getting more guineas. More guineas = much much more noise. I think this guinea might be going through a phase I've had my guineas be really wild and loud and then go calm, especially when they are younger.

 

[GuineaFowling]

If you do get a guinea make sure to get a male. Guineas are known to be monogamous though the helmeted variety is known for having males pick two or sometimes three females. I think in your case your girl wants a male to her own. If you do find juveniles ask the seller to figure out which ones a male. I had a lady who was buying guineas from me ask me to identify their genders as she wanted a certain amount of males and females.it's quite easy though time consuming