How to help Guineas find the run door?

[SplendidDogFeet]

I am truly baffled. We just started letting our flock of Guineas and chickens out into the giant backyard, and they can NOT figure out how to get back in or out of their run. If one happens to get in, everybody panics and just runs up and down the hardware mesh wall looking at each other. I had the door fastened open so the opening was about a foot, and that seemed too hard (despite the coop Omlet door being way smaller). I have had the door all the way open- that's 34" of open space- and they are still too dumb to figure it out. What do I do? It's about a foot drop from their run to the yard and I put some pavers as a step. I tried putting a 2x2 sticking both inside and outside the run. Nothing works and I'm having to wrangle them in or out. I was going to make steps and paint them red to be a visual draw. Would that do it? If I put another Omlet door in the hardware cloth on one of the long sides, would that do it? I cannot believe it's been days and they can't figure it out.

 

[R2elk]

I am truly baffled. We just started letting our flock of Guineas and chickens out into the giant backyard, and they can NOT figure out how to get back in or out of their run. If one happens to get in, everybody panics and just runs up and down the hardware mesh wall looking at each other. I had the door fastened open so the opening was about a foot, and that seemed too hard (despite the coop Omlet door being way smaller). I have had the door all the way open- that's 34" of open space- and they are still too dumb to figure it out. What do I do? It's about a foot drop from their run to the yard and I put some pavers as a step. I tried putting a 2x2 sticking both inside and outside the run. Nothing works and I'm having to wrangle them in or out. I was going to make steps and paint them red to be a visual draw. Would that do it? If I put another Omlet door in the hardware cloth on one of the long sides, would that do it? I cannot believe it's been days and they can't figure it out.

You have to teach the guineas by gently herding them to the opening. After enough times they will understand that is how to get in. Slowly and patiently. They eventually learn.

 

[SplendidDogFeet]

You have to teach the guineas by gently herding them to the opening. After enough times they will understand that is how to get in. Slowly and patiently. They eventually learn.

I put their favorite blanket in the door and on the top stair and it helped!

 

[SamLockwood]

At one point about half my guineas stopped using the run door opening and tried sleeping on top of the coop & run. I spent several nights frustatedly trying to herd them or catch them and put them inside until I figured out what the problem was.

It turned out they didn't like the plastic tiles I'd put in front of the doorway to deal with soil erosion. I noticed when I let them out one morning most of them wouldn't step on it. They'd stare at it and then fly over it.

When I removed the offending tiles they started going back inside. For whatever reason they were freaked out by them.

 

[R2elk]

At one point about half my guineas stopped using the run door opening and tried sleeping on top of the coop & run. I spent several nights frustatedly trying to herd them or catch them and put them inside until I figured out what the problem was.

It turned out they didn't like the plastic tiles I'd put in front of the doorway to deal with soil erosion. I noticed when I let them out one morning most of them wouldn't step on it. They'd stare at it and then fly over it.

When I removed the offending tiles they started going back inside. For whatever reason they were freaked out by them.

They really don't do well with change. Some people have had theirs refuse to drink from a new waterer because it was a different style or color.

 

[SamLockwood]

They really don't do well with change. Some people have had theirs refuse to drink from a new waterer because it was a different style or color.

Mine get agitaged whenever I clean out the coop bedding. Sometimes they'll keep their distance but watch me and mutter. When I'm done a bunch of them will explore every inch of that coop and the nesting boxes to inspect what I've done.

They're like feathered housing inspectors.