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Barnyard Buddies:  Guinea Question  |
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GuineaMomma
Farmgirl at Heart
6 Posts
Stephanie
Corydon
Indiana
USA
6 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 26 2009 : 07:27:19 AM
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We have a flock of 10 guineas, they hatched the beginning of June, so they're a little over 12 weeks old. I kept them indoors for about 5 weeks and now they've been in their coop for 7 weeks. The night before last we let them out a couple hours before sunset to free range. Eventually we intend to leave them out all day and lock them up at night.
My question is...how do we get them to go back in their coop at night? The first night, they were in the far corner of the yard, so we herded them back and caught each one and stuck them in there. Last night, they were taking a dust bath when it started to get dark and they just kind of sat down, so we took them back to their house but rather than going up in it, they went under it (not a safe place from predators!). So I caught then again (very easy to do at night) and put them in there. Will they eventually catch on, or am I going to have to keep doing this? I was hoping they'd just go back in there to roost at sunset and I could just go down and lock the door.
Thank you in advance for any suggestions!! (Oh, and I already tried putting some food in there, they weren't falling for that trick) 
~stephanie |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2009 : 08:20:45 AM
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Well, I was going to say to feed them then saw you had tried that already. I am impressed that you can catch the darn things. Wow. I have 8 adults and 10 babies and they all roost high up in the maple tree. I would love to catch them and take them all to the sale barn. They sell for about $15 a piece around here! But I guess I'll have to keep them. I like them but they are very annoying creatuers for sure. Do you also have chickens?
They are not the brightest of the poultry family. It must be the little tiny head has not got much brain in it. You might have to keep putting them up yourself til they finally catch on one day. Hopefully they will.
You might try only feeding them in the pen. And only at night.
Good luck. And welcome to the farm, too!
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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GuineaMomma
Farmgirl at Heart
6 Posts
Stephanie
Corydon
Indiana
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2009 : 08:36:20 AM
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Kris~
Thank you for the suggestions. We don't have chickens *yet* but Husband is already planning where to put the coop! :-) I don't think our chickens will free range though, so they won't be able to help the guineas. I'm going to try taking the food out of the coop during the day and feeding them only just before bedtime, maybe that will encourage them a little more.
As for catching them, I handled them a lot as babies so that I would be able to catch them now. A couple are pretty wild, but if I get them into a corner, I can catch any of them. At night though, they just get in a pile and sit down and I can pick them up with no problem. Mine aren't even smart enough to roost in trees, they just sit down on the ground!! Hopefully soon they'll catch on to what we want them to do...we'll see!
Thanks again!
~stephanie |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2009 : 09:56:32 AM
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They are still babies, and when the do finish maturing, they will be roosting high up. They are also one of the few birds that see well at night, that helps them see predators coming. They originate from Africa, and mamge to be very profalic there, and I beleive them to be alot smarter than a chicken, who's brain is the size of a dried pea. They are hard to catch generaly, and putting them in a pen usually does not work, cause they do like to fly. Either way, good luck, I just love my Guinea's, and they all free range.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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GuineaMomma
Farmgirl at Heart
6 Posts
Stephanie
Corydon
Indiana
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2009 : 10:04:32 AM
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Do you lock yours up at night or just let them roost in trees and whatnot? I'm afraid they'll get eaten (we already lost ducks to the local predator population), that's the only reason I'm putting them up at night. I know they're still just kids, so I thought maybe when they get older, they'd learn to roost and all that. It's amazing the stuff they've already figured out on their own (after only being out of the coop twice!) like how to take a wonderful dust bath and how to fly over the fence (haven't figured out flying back in yet!)
I'm willing to keep rounding them up at night if that's what I have to do to keep them safe, I was just kind of hoping (selfishly, no doubt) that it might get a little easier as time goes on! :-)
Thanks for the reply!
~stephanie |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2009 : 10:58:58 AM
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Stephanie, I don't lock mine up at night, it would probally be impossible to do so anyway. I have predators here also, hawks & eagles, great horned owls, coyotes, bobcats, badger and an occasional mt.lion, but I rarely loose any to them. They are pretty smart and will raise a racket when anything or anyone comes around that isn't in the norm, that gets me out, along with the dogs, so it works out well for all.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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vegetarian farmer
True Blue Farmgirl
249 Posts
Jane
Freedom
pa
USA
249 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2009 : 12:55:06 PM
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| Do you have a place for them to roost high in the coop. I kept mine inside for 12 weeks total. They have rafters in the coop to roost at night. When I let them out I only feed at night about 5-6 pm, and only in the coop. They actually look for me in the evening to eat and go into the coop. They even go into the coop during the day for a nap or if the cooper hawk is getting a little to close. |
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Barnyard Buddies: Guinea Question |
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Guinea Question
