My Guineas and Rooster Ran off

[Newbie2010]

Let the Rooster out for the 1st time a day ago. Then I let the guineas out and they stayed around and then all 3 roosted near the house for the night. This morning they were around and now that Im off work they are no where to be found? Is this normal? Very dissappointed! Any information would be helpful since we are new at this!! Thanks!

 

[JLeigh]

Don't give up hope. It's very possible they'll return. By the way, I'm new to this too, so I know how you feel.

Mine were gone all day once, and I thought I'd lost them and my heart broke. Now I've learned to trust that they're hanging around somewhere close. But you just never know for sure.

I sincerely hope they come home. Good luck, and let us know!

 

[daylily]

They'll come home, If the guineas know where home is, they'll come homes and bring the rooster with them.

Mine like to head off to the neighbors right after I let them out of the coop and sometimes stay gone all day. It used to bother me that I didn't know where they were but no more. I check up on them every so often. It's funny, IF I go visit the neighbor they run home!

 

[TinaK]

Eik! That is my fear!

I have my first ever guinea fowl and have raised them from day old keets. They are now about 8 weeks old and have moved from the brooder to a cage on the front lawn. They day I moved them from the brooder one escaped and ran away sooooo fast. It never came back even when its friends called

I'd love for them to live in the front yard and roost up high in our big trees. I'm sooooo scared to let them out though! I can just picture them all running off into the blue gum plantations and never coming home!

 

[PeepsCA]

Eik! That is my fear!

I have my first ever guinea fowl and have raised them from day old keets. They are now about 8 weeks old and have moved from the brooder to a cage on the front lawn. They day I moved them from the brooder one escaped and ran away sooooo fast. It never came back even when its friends called

I'd love for them to live in the front yard and roost up high in our big trees. I'm sooooo scared to let them out though! I can just picture them all running off into the blue gum plantations and never coming home!

I'd keep them in the cage (hopefully you mean covered pen, with at least 3-4 sq ft per bird?) on the lawn for a full 6 weeks (make sure they have plenty of room and roosts where raccoons cannot reach in, grab them by the necks and chew their heads off), that way they will get to know the sights and sounds of your yard area while they finish growing and be more apt to accept that as their home area once you finally do start letting them out. I would herd them back into their pen at night for a while once you do start letting them out, because they may not take to the trees right away and sleep in the ground or top of their pen (not exactly safe), but given the choice Guineas will usually prefer the trees. One bad thing about letting them roost in the trees... raccoons and owls still have free access to them and your plan of Guineas living in the front yard and roosting in the trees each night can go south real fast.

 

[PeepsCA]

Let the Rooster out for the 1st time a day ago. Then I let the guineas out and they stayed around and then all 3 roosted near the house for the night. This morning they were around and now that Im off work they are no where to be found? Is this normal? Very dissappointed! Any information would be helpful since we are new at this!! Thanks!

Do you have them all trained to come running to a certain food call? If so walk around your area calling them, even shaking a scoop of food. Ask the neighbors if anyone's seen them, maybe they found someone's wild bird feeder and are camped out in someone's back yard, chowing down on free grub. Hopefully a dog or some type of predator didn't spook them badly enough that they lost their bearings and can't find their way home again (pr worse, got them all).

Guineas really do need to be "babysat" for a while until you can fully trust they will stick around. I only let my young birds out when I can be around to keep an eye on them, and is usually takes a while and a lot of correction to get back in the yard until I trust them to stick around.

 

[StarFlower99654]

Last year when we first got our chicks, I was worried about them running off when free ranging, so I formulated a plan. We built a chicken tractor for them and used it until the coop was finished, just in time as they were quickly outgrowing the tractor. At this point I kept them shut in the coop for one week to become familiar with the place and routine of roosting inside for bed. Then they had access to the fully fenced run, which we use when we are not home or on poor weather days (winter). And finally, they were allowed to free range, but knew to return to the coop every evening and also to lay eggs. It was so worth it to train them.
I read that guineas stay at the place they are raised, so i bet they will return. Sending you luck.
~Laura

 

[TinaK]

Thanks for the words of wisdom PeepsCA! greatly appreciated. I was wondering how long they'd have to stay in the temporary home! Don't worry, they have a heap of space and an enclosed coop area for sleeping in. The coop has one hinged side, so when they are ready to venture into the wide world I can prop it open for them to come and go as they wish

Oh and I'm in Australia! No nasty coons here! just the red foxes etc etc etc

 

[PeepsCA]

Thanks for the words of wisdom PeepsCA! greatly appreciated. I was wondering how long they'd have to stay in the temporary home! Don't worry, they have a heap of space and an enclosed coop area for sleeping in. The coop has one hinged side, so when they are ready to venture into the wide world I can prop it open for them to come and go as they wish

Oh and I'm in Australia! No nasty coons here! just the red foxes etc etc etc

You are so welcome, hope it works out for you and the keets! You are lucky not to have raccoons there, they are nasty about grabbing keets/Guineas right thru the wire at night while the birds are sleeping (plus the birds are blind in the dark).