A Lost Guinea?

[Kaolru]

Hello everyone!
Recently my father and I noticed a guinea on our trail cameras, and he was showing up pretty much every day for about a week. Well this past Monday I went outside to see him in our driveway and he's been there ever since. He really likes to hang out by the vehicles.

I'm fairly certain it's male, and he's pretty skittish. He doesn't want me within 10-15ft or so of him. He doesn't flee or anything, but he'll start slowly walking away and keeping an eye on me.

I feel bad for him being alone. I don't know much about guineas, so I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do. We have plenty of property, so I don't mind him being around, but I can't help but think he's lonely and hanging around the vehicles because he can see his reflection.

I've asked around, but no one seems to even have guineas in my area, let alone have one missing. I've thought about trying to find another adult for sale somewhere and introducing it, but I've read that guineas mate for life, and they won't often take to another if they lose their mate. I don't know if this is true or not.

Anyway, do you guys have any advice for this poor guy?

 

[guineapeeps]

Hello everyone!
Recently my father and I noticed a guinea on our trail cameras, and he was showing up pretty much every day for about a week. Well this past Monday I went outside to see him in our driveway and he's been there ever since. He really likes to hang out by the vehicles.

I'm fairly certain it's male, and he's pretty skittish. He doesn't want me within 10-15ft or so of him. He doesn't flee or anything, but he'll start slowly walking away and keeping an eye on me.

I feel bad for him being alone. I don't know much about guineas, so I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do. We have plenty of property, so I don't mind him being around, but I can't help but think he's lonely and hanging around the vehicles because he can see his reflection.

I've asked around, but no one seems to even have guineas in my area, let alone have one missing. I've thought about trying to find another adult for sale somewhere and introducing it, but I've read that guineas mate for life, and they won't often take to another if they lose their mate. I don't know if this is true or not.

Anyway, do you guys have any advice for this poor guy?

I'm sure he would take to another mate. Anytime that I lost a male or female, they would always pair off with another mate. I do think that your right in that he is looking at his reflection in the cars. Guineas love to look at their reflection, but he is probably doing it because he is lonely as well. Guineas are very much flock animals and really hate to be alone and the bigger the flock the better. If you can find him at least one other guinea (preferably the opposite sex, if possible), he will be much happier! You might try looking on Craigslist or call your local feed store and see if you can locate any in your area.

 

[Kaolru]

I'm sure he would take to another mate. Anytime that I lost a male or female, they would always pair off with another mate. I do think that your right in that he is looking at his reflection in the cars. Guineas love to look at their reflection, but he is probably doing it because he is lonely as well. Guineas are very much flock animals and really hate to be alone and the bigger the flock the better. If you can find him at least one other guinea (preferably the opposite sex, if possible), he will be much happier! You might try looking on Craigslist or call your local feed store and see if you can locate any in your area.

Thank you, I will do that. It's hard to find adult guineas for sale around here it seems. Most are selling keets, but I'll keep looking and ask the feed store.

If this does work out, how do I go about caring for the guineas once the weather cools off? I know they do a lot of foraging, so food isn't much of a concern in summer, but I live in Pennsylvania and winter can be rough. Since this guy is really not friendly, and has no interest in any food I give him, I'm not sure how I'd coax him into a shelter.

 

[guineapeeps]

Thank you, I will do that. It's hard to find adult guineas for sale around here it seems. Most are selling keets, but I'll keep looking and ask the feed store.

If this does work out, how do I go about caring for the guineas once the weather cools off? I know they do a lot of foraging, so food isn't much of a concern in summer, but I live in Pennsylvania and winter can be rough. Since this guy is really not friendly, and has no interest in any food I give him, I'm not sure how I'd coax him into a shelter.

I would guess that he is not going to be very interested in food while bugs are plentiful, but once fall rolls around and bugs are in short supply, he will be more interested in being fed. Do you have a shelter or coop that he could roost in? If so, you could put the food nearby and then gradually move it inside. He may eventually go inside to eat and get out of the weather. A few years ago, a friend of mine got some adult guineas. That first spring and summer, the guineas roamed her property and roosted in the trees. They wouldn't go near the coop to eat at all. When winter set in and the bugs were gone, the guineas followed her chickens into the coop and have continued to do so since then. Hopefully, you'll have luck with this, but if not, at least you tried!

 

[Kaolru]

I would guess that he is not going to be very interested in food while bugs are plentiful, but once fall rolls around and bugs are in short supply, he will be more interested in being fed. Do you have a shelter or coop that he could roost in? If so, you could put the food nearby and then gradually move it inside. He may eventually go inside to eat and get out of the weather. A few years ago, a friend of mine got some adult guineas. That first spring and summer, the guineas roamed her property and roosted in the trees. They wouldn't go near the coop to eat at all. When winter set in and the bugs were gone, the guineas followed her chickens into the coop and have continued to do so since then. Hopefully, you'll have luck with this, but if not, at least you tried!

I don't have a coop, as the only birds I've ever had were ducks, and that was several years ago. I do have a shelter that would work if I could get him into it. He's so determined to stay in the driveway or right next to it.

As for a potential mate, would I be able to get an older keet? How old do you think the keet would have to be in order to be safe? I don't know how male guineas are with young babies that don't belong to them. I only ask because everyone seems to only be selling keets, but some of them are older.

Sorry for all the questions, I just don't want to make the situation worse!

 

[guineapeeps]

I don't have a coop, as the only birds I've ever had were ducks, and that was several years ago. I do have a shelter that would work if I could get him into it. He's so determined to stay in the driveway or right next to it.

As for a potential mate, would I be able to get an older keet? How old do you think the keet would have to be in order to be safe? I don't know how male guineas are with young babies that don't belong to them. I only ask because everyone seems to only be selling keets, but some of them are older.

Sorry for all the questions, I just don't want to make the situation worse!

I would say the older the better. Definitely get one that is fully feathered, so at least 5 weeks or so. Before keets are fully feathered, they need to be under a hen or heat lamp, and it's hard to tell whether they are male or female before this point too. (You will be able to tell male from female by their call....female will have a two syllable buckwheat sound and males have only a one syllable call). It's hard to say how he will do with a younger bird. He may be so glad to see another guinea that he won't care what age or sex it is! All of my males were awesome with the keets, but they were hatched and raised together.
Before you go to the expense and trouble of getting him another guinea, you may want to investigate the area and make sure he doesn't have a mate laying on eggs in your area. With the way you describe his behavior in hanging around one particular area, it made me wonder if he had a hen that has layed a nest and gone broody near your house. Guinea hens are notorious for wandering off and laying nests out in a wild overgrown area and a lot of the time the males will stand guard around the nest and help guard against predators.
I'm definitely no guinea expert, but I had mine for about 4 years (recently had to rehome them due to a move) and I am more than happy to try and help! It makes me miss mine less when I can help other with theirs!

 

[Kaolru]

I would say the older the better. Definitely get one that is fully feathered, so at least 5 weeks or so. Before keets are fully feathered, they need to be under a hen or heat lamp, and it's hard to tell whether they are male or female before this point too. (You will be able to tell male from female by their call....female will have a two syllable buckwheat sound and males have only a one syllable call). It's hard to say how he will do with a younger bird. He may be so glad to see another guinea that he won't care what age or sex it is! All of my males were awesome with the keets, but they were hatched and raised together.
Before you go to the expense and trouble of getting him another guinea, you may want to investigate the area and make sure he doesn't have a mate laying on eggs in your area. With the way you describe his behavior in hanging around one particular area, it made me wonder if he had a hen that has layed a nest and gone broody near your house. Guinea hens are notorious for wandering off and laying nests out in a wild overgrown area and a lot of the time the males will stand guard around the nest and help guard against predators.
I'm definitely no guinea expert, but I had mine for about 4 years (recently had to rehome them due to a move) and I am more than happy to try and help! It makes me miss mine less when I can help other with theirs!

Thank you again, so much! I really do appreciate it!
I'll do what I can to find older keets if I can't find an adult. I will also do some checking around to see if I can find a hen. I have my doubts though, as he was originally back in the woods and our field, which is a good ways away from the house. My father checks his trail cameras every night with his tractor, and since that's where he was originally hanging out, I think he followed my dad home. He hasn't left since. Still, it's worth a check around.

I also find it interesting that he doesn't roost in a tree. He goes over to one of the old cars we have sitting beside the driveway kind of in the woods and lays beside it.

Note on feeding: I went out and bought some layer pellets and scratch grain, just to see if he'd be interested at all. He didn't bother with the pellets, but he took right to the scratch, so that might be my way to get him used to me.

 

[guineapeeps]

Thank you again, so much! I really do appreciate it!
I'll do what I can to find older keets if I can't find an adult. I will also do some checking around to see if I can find a hen. I have my doubts though, as he was originally back in the woods and our field, which is a good ways away from the house. My father checks his trail cameras every night with his tractor, and since that's where he was originally hanging out, I think he followed my dad home. He hasn't left since. Still, it's worth a check around.

I also find it interesting that he doesn't roost in a tree. He goes over to one of the old cars we have sitting beside the driveway kind of in the woods and lays beside it.

Note on feeding: I went out and bought some layer pellets and scratch grain, just to see if he'd be interested at all. He didn't bother with the pellets, but he took right to the scratch, so that might be my way to get him used to me.

Not roosting in the trees and sleeping on the ground beside the car is strange behavior for a guinea. I would definitely look around that car for a nest, as that would make sense if he was sleeping near a hen on her nest. My guineas would always go crazy for millet, so that would be a treat that may get him to like you more as well. Good luck and keep us up to date on what happens!