Guineas Roosting in Trees

[tlkjaw]

It is supposed to be 17 degrees tonight out here in Maine and our 5 guineas have just gotten into the habit of roosting in the trees above their coup. (This starting three days ago. Now they insist on it.)

Will they be alright in the cold?

There is also one of my turkeys left out, she's about 4 months old she's alone in another tree. Will she be okay?

 

[AlienChick]

As long as they're more than 2 months old, they'll be fine in the cold.
I leave mine outside all winter long and they find places to roost.
I have an open pole barn and nailed boards for them to roost on, but they still prefer to roost outside in the trees or on top of the chicken run.
Go figure.
I do feel sorry for them when it snows and I've even tried going out in the middle of the cold night to put them into the pole barn only to have them fly down and run off into the darkness.

Dumb guineas!

 

[tlkjaw]

Thank you! I'm just very worried, as this is my first winter with any type of birds.

 

[PeepsCA]

I think you'll have more to worry about with night time predators, than the cold, (cold predators are often extra hungry predators). Guineas are pretty cold hearty, if they are well fed and not soaked to the bone so if you don't have night time predator issues they should be ok. Sometimes Guineas will not come out of the trees if there is snow on the ground tho until the birds actually fall out of the trees because they have died from dehydration or starvation. If you don't want your birds sleeping in the trees then you'll have to trick them into the coop/pen for treats way before they decide it's time to roost for the night.

 

[tomingreeneco]

Owls & coons can both kill a guinea very quickly. Guinea are practically blind when it is dark. Please get them inside or you will lose some.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Unfortunately, Guinea birds LOVE to roost as high as they can. They are excellent and precise flyers both going to roost and coming down. I too have a open barn (I keep the mini stud horse in it) and the doors are open year round except VERY cold winter storms. The Guinea roost in the rafters which are about 10 feet high. I do keep poultry and game bird in an enclosed area that the stud can not get into. I have an opening just large enough for the birds and they seem to figure out how to get out of this area.
I keep a 60 watt curly light on for them at night. They can see what is going on below them. I did have a few this summer roost in the tree just outside the gates enclosing the stud pin, but they are all roosting in the barn now that the leaves have fallen.
I think a coop just does not do it for a guinea bird. I would however try to put a light in your coop and a treat in it .
I noticed that one night the light was off and some of the birds did not roost in the barn. They took to the tree or on the gates.
Now that it is getting dark early, I just leave the light on 24 a day.

 

[PeepsCA]

My 150+ Guineas all do fine in their coops, they know they are safe and sheltered. I've found over the years (with every flock I keep/have kept) that if you don't give them any other choice from the get-go, they will adjust and stick to roosting in the coops. It's up to the Guinea keeper to condition the birds to only roosting in the coop, or they will choose to roost elsewhere. I don't care for lights on at night in my coops (except red rope lights, on a timer)... too much light at night keeps the birds awake, and noisy at all hours. Plus it messes with the Hens' egg laying schedule.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Although I respect threads here, I must state that I have had a low watt light bulb going in my barn for YEARS with BOTH chickens and Guinea. Now, I only have the Guinea birds in a barn, the chickens are seperated in a 10 by 16 portable with a large enclosure for them to go outside during the day. They are locked up tight every night.
When i had the light going I had absolutely NO problem with the birds staying up or messing with the layers.

 

[PeepsCA]

That's great that the light on in your barn 24/7 has always worked out for your flock and they are quiet at night etc, whatever works for you/your birds, stick with it by all means. I can respect that. I've found that it doesn't work out for my flocks like it does for yours tho, and a light on in a big open barn as opposed to a light on in the space of a confined coop are 2 entirely different things. Everyone's flock and coop (or barn) set-ups are different, but the fact still remains that having a light on all night can cause noise issues and laying issues, plus aggression issues because the light allows the birds to be active when they should be up on the roost sleeping. This isn't always the case with every flock, but it can be the root of multiple problems. It really depends on the individual situation as to whether keeping a light on all night works or doesn't work. When people contact me asking for advise about certain issues/problems they are having with their birds at night... more often that not their coop has a light on. JME

 

[JLeigh]

This is just my opinion, but all my birds sleep in the dark because, I dunno, it just seems to me it mimics the wild. Plus, I don't want to pay that light bill! LOL.