Stupid question

[Mistahbue]

Do guineas mate for life? Or at least pick a mate and stick with them for a season?

Reason I ask is now that my helmet heads are grown and free ranging during day I've noticed I have 3 distinct pairs that are ALWAYS with one another. In fact one of the hens out of the 3 pairs is injured and is separated from the flock so she can regrow feathers and heal. Her 'mate' frets like crazy come late afternoon/early evening. He will actually stand close by while I open the cage door for him to enter and sit with her at night. Another pair has shown me that while female is laying eggs (when I managed to get them to use an enclosed nest) her 'mate' sat right by the cage and prattled too her - I swear he was coaching her through the birthing process. LOL LOL

I just wondered if this is normal behavior or if they just have me fooled? I love watching their interactions - just wanted to see if anyone else has noticed same.

 

[Texas4T]

Mine seem to form trios or pairs during the spring and early summer (mating, setting, hatching). But after that, they seem to go back into one big foraging flock for the summer heat/fall/winter.

 

[mommaguinea]

I think the bonds are seasonal or until something happens to one of them.

 

[red horse ranch]

Do guineas mate for life? Or at least pick a mate and stick with them for a season?

Reason I ask is now that my helmet heads are grown and free ranging during day I've noticed I have 3 distinct pairs that are ALWAYS with one another. In fact one of the hens out of the 3 pairs is injured and is separated from the flock so she can regrow feathers and heal. Her 'mate' frets like crazy come late afternoon/early evening. He will actually stand close by while I open the cage door for him to enter and sit with her at night. Another pair has shown me that while female is laying eggs (when I managed to get them to use an enclosed nest) her 'mate' sat right by the cage and prattled too her - I swear he was coaching her through the birthing process. LOL LOL

I just wondered if this is normal behavior or if they just have me fooled? I love watching their interactions - just wanted to see if anyone else has noticed same.

My first guineas formed lasting bonds. This is the 4th year 4 pairs have been with the same mates. My younger ones are a different story. I have watched some mate swapping amongst the 1 and 2 yr old guineas. Come winter most of them will just be one flock but in the spring the females will choose their mate and they will be off by themselves..

An unusual story I have just watched in my own flock; One of my hens has just hatched out some keets and her mate wants to help her raise them I guess. He offers food to the little ones and stays with her and the keets all day. He's more careful about stepping on them than the hen is. This is the first time one of my males has played the daddy role.

 

[Mistahbue]

My first guineas formed lasting bonds. This is the 4th year 4 pairs have been with the same mates. My younger ones are a different story. I have watched some mate swapping amongst the 1 and 2 yr old guineas. Come winter most of them will just be one flock but in the spring the females will choose their mate and they will be off by themselves..

An unusual story I have just watched in my own flock; One of my hens has just hatched out some keets and her mate wants to help her raise them I guess. He offers food to the little ones and stays with her and the keets all day. He's more careful about stepping on them than the hen is. This is the first time one of my males has played the daddy role.

I swear if I thought I could color code something on their helmets I would just so I could tell who is with whom. Little guinea girl - now gotta give her a name - is going to be confined to an enclosure for life. We had one who was limping for sometime - and suspect this recovering hen is same one. Couldn't catch gimpy before the dog decided she needed a feather picking.... Anyway - there is NO visible sign of trauma on the leg. We figured it was bruising on the thigh from where the dog was knocking her around and grabbing her. No infection - she's healed good, has blood feathers popping through all over. But she still limps.

No bumble foot -- when we were tending her breast/thigh wounds we examined feet and legs - nothing. What are we missing that might be causing the limp. It's VERY pronounced.

 

[red horse ranch]

When a muscle is torn it may take weeks or months for the muscle to heal. People get sprained ankles and bad backs and a bird can get hurt the same way. In her encounter with the dog it's very likely that she sprained something in trying to get away. Nothing would show unless it was slight swelling. That would be my guess as to her problem.