I'm so sorry for your loss; Maple was a beautiful hen. We lost Walter, my very favorite Guinea Fowl, a beautiful coral blue boy, the day after Christmas to a hawk 10' from our house. We moved a few things around so the remaining 13 GFs who free range in the day would have more cover back there. I lost my next favorite, Copper, to a Cooper's hawk Jan 27th, again just feet from our house. The 2nd attack really surprised us because it was 3' from a nearly 4' retaining wall, 6' from our house and about 3' from the back our our ginormous F350 Dually. The hawk dragged poor, dead Copper UNDER the truck.
I hand raised them from 2 day old chicks and was attached even if they saw my hands as covered in knives and scissors when I'd try to touch them. Guineas are far from cuddly and we brought ours to take care of aggressive ticks, insects, organic pest control for our veggies gardens, warning devices and entertainment. I cried when Walter was taken and got mad about Copper. We buried them so the hawks wouldn't get a tasty meal out of our hard work.
We've been researching what we can do for our 12 remaining Guineas as they free-range during the day. They're trained to return to the coop at night (not easy since they're really dumb!) and aren't let out if we're not home or if it's overcast (both attacks were on overcast days so they had no shadows to warn them.) We've read about human and owl scarecrows but they need to be moved every few days or the predators figure it out. I've got 5 owl decoys coming, 2 of them are solar so their heads rotate, their eyes light up and they make noises when they sense movement. I'm also ordering 4 large goose decoys since guardian geese have been touted as excellent flock protectors. The Hubster is making 2 human scarecrows that will rotate in the wind AND are on a spring so they'll move like a bobble head doll. They'll all have to be moved every few days - ugh!
We're hanging enough CDs we could get a disco ball and lights and have a nice dance club on our mountaintop homestead. I think I'll try the tape you mentioned as well. The Hubster is going to cover our entire back, front and side yards with bird netting and cables. He's really PO'd! We're on 24+ acres of NW Georgia mountain top that's heavily forested except for the 1 acre around our house and another 2 acres at the top of our property 1/5 mile from the house where we have an orchard and a pasture. We don't let the Morons go up there since there's no cover and lots of predators. We're in the middle of tens of thousands of acres of forest land that stretches into 100's of thousands in alabama and farm- and ranch-land in the valleys below our mountain. Prime hunting groun for several varieties of hawks and even bald eagles. We usually love it but I've done some cursing the past couple of weeks.
We're also going to apply for a permit to dispatch hawks and try to protect the Morons that way as well. I don't want to have to do that but I don't want to lose any more little Tick Slayers to them. We have a lot of $$$ in buying them, feeding them, building GuineaHam Palace (it's the GF equivalent of Ft. Knox, nothing is getting to those birds!), the warming lights and plates, feeders, waterers, my time hand raising them, vet fees for 2 we tried but couldn't correct a genetic leg defect, etc. Plus, I don't want to do the whole hand-rearing thing so soon after getting these guys out of my garage.
I don't know why it's the ones we really like that go first. I have 6 total A-holes that bully and chase the others to the point they're 20% smaller than the bullies. I think the bullies are partly responsible beause they chased both birds out of the safety of the flock making them easy pickens' for the hawks. I don't want to lose any of the Morons but I certainly don't want to lose my favorites!
Good Luck and again, sorry for your loss.
~Trish
