the chiks are attacking our young ginnies

[MsMoss]

The chicks are all nearly fledged now so I don't know how old that makes them, and the ginni hens aren't even like 2 weeks old I think.

My Dad put them next to the chickens but not in there, for their first time out. and the ginnies seemed to be so upset and distressed they couldn't be IN with the chickens but insight of them, so he noticed that after the initial holy crap, what's this bright warm environment we're in freak out stage, where they just ran around like HELP HELP, PLEASE! GET US OUT OF HERE stage they began sitting down an watching the chickens, and then they began pecking at the wire between the chickens and them, and I told Dad I think they want in with the chickens, and he said I think so too, and so we put them in , and all was fine for several hours. right away they ran over and began mingling and walking around and when the bigger chicks all crowded the feeder, a few of them even had enough moxy to try and get in there lol.


all was fine an then a couple hours later he see's that the biggest chicken an 2 others are really going after the baby ginnie's, they charge them and chase them and then peck their necks or grab one by the tuft of neck feathers an drag it around.


This is really sad since the first meeting for a couple hours was so peaceful. They were not raised together, the chicks had been at our house for several weeks before the ginnies but all signs of them being raised together from now on was positive, but not now.


Why are they attacking our baby ginnies

Also and this was not done by our chickens, it was damaged if it is, before they ever left their brooder box to mingle outside, something looks wrong with one of the ginnies wing feathers , instead of being smooth to her body a couple clusters sticks out at an angle, Her 2 sisters don't.


I have pictures of the wing in question but they're not clear enough to really tell I'll try to get better photo's but based on description any ideas?

 

[Jake1297]

I too have guineas & chickens. Like you, my chickens were older when the Guineas joined them. This is how I read to do it, and it worked for me. The chickens were about 4 months old and the guineas were 5 weeks. I put the guineas in the same coop as the chickens, but in their own section separated with chicken wire. This way they could each see each other and not touch. Everyday I'd let the chickens out, but the guineas would stay in their pen. This also gave them time to realize this is their home (the coop). After three weeks, and after I had let the chickens out for the day, I opened the door to let the guineas out. They stayed inside just peeking their heads out the little door but after a couple days they finally started going outside to explore. It's been a year now and they all get along well. They free range together, they all come in to roost together in the evening. And the chickens know to be alert when they hear the guineas cackling.

 

[MsMoss]

never mind I made it a part of the original topic.

 

[MsMoss]

My Dad removed the abusive ones, and the remaining chickens get along great with the Ginnie's. The Ginnies have really gotten so big and so well adjusted, in another week or so my Dad is going to put one of the Rhode Island Reds that were abusing the Ginnie's when babies and see if it pecks it again, and if it does can the Ginnie's hold their own or will he have to separate them again.