Training a new Guinea to stay?

[awalters0815]

After a recent raccoon attack on my chickens, I have decided to get a pair of Guinea. I am going to get some that are already mature. How can I train them to stay home and not try to leave?

 

[PeepsCA]

You will need to keep them penned up for at least 6 weeks so their pea brains are reprogrammed to think of your place as home. After 6 weeks you can start letting them out for short periods and then herd/lure them back in. You may need a helper, and hopefully they don't take flight and go looking for their old home. Letting them out hungry, a short time before feeding time sometimes help get them to come in easier. I've never used this method with adults, just keets that I've raised to integrate into my existing flocks. Good luck!

 

[robin416]

I need to back this up a bit. You got them because of raccoon attack? Are you under the impression that the Guineas can or will protect the chickens? If you are, it ain't going to happen. Guineas are just as susceptible to a raccoon attack as chickens especially at night in the coop.

 

[jcatblum]

I left my guineas in the coop for about 10 days. Then I would let one out each day for a few hours. I would try to put a different one out each day, but sometimes it is hard to tell them apart. (just a selfish note. I only le the boys out @ 1st. Didn't want to loose any of my layers)
After a week of only letting 1 out @ a time--- and watching that 1 guinea run cirlces around the coop for hours. I let 2 guineas out. After several days of letting 2 out they finally stopped running cirlces around the coop but still never went far. Then I let 3 out for a while. I would say by wk 4 I was letting them all out each day.

However, if a coon could actually get in my coop it would have a guinea in it's hands before anyone woke up. They say the easiest way to catch a guinea is to catch it @ night while it is asleep.

I have a pyrenese & pyrenese - Anatolian mix plus 2 australian shepherds. They alert of any predators during the day or night. I wasnt sure if they were actually guarding anything until they chased a bobcat up a tree outside the coop If you had 4 dogs chasing after you would you come back & try to get a chicken again?

 

[awalters0815]

Quote:
The racoon attack was in daylight in my backyard just after dawn. I'm just hoping a guinea might help sound the alarm in the future. They are completely protected at night, its early morning that I am worried about. I'm also goin to try and trap the coons.

 

[robin416]

More info is needed. How early, before dawn? That's a prime attack time for raccoons. Problem is that is also a time that Guineas do not see very well. And to depend on them to actually see the creature before the attack is a risky venture. Guineas wander off and do their own thing and if they happen to be under a shrub chances are they'll never know anything is coming or happening.

Until you trap the predators the best option is to close the birds up, keep them up until the coons give up and move off. I had raccoons try to break in to one of my coops three days in a row before they finally gave up. This is also why I have welded wire, secure out door pens for all of my birds. They can go out when there is a threat but are protected from attack.

 

[awalters0815]

well, I also just want some guineas.

 

[robin416]

Quote:
Now there's the truth. LOL

I am not trying to talk you out of them, not me. I would choose my Guineas over my chickens if forced to choose one or the other. Just don't think that because you have Guineas your other flocks are safe, because they're not.

Guineas are fiercely territorial and will give chase to predators as a flock. But as a flock, more than a couple, they have to see the predator to be very effective. But seeing them standing off deer, running off fox, chasing off vultures is a sight to see.