Keeping guinea hens off porch deck!

[Bpeterbeck]

Hi! I’ve read several articles, have tried lots of things. But I don’t have a great solution yet! I’m new to guineas! My neighbor gave me some of her keets. I brought them home and kept them in their coop for several weeks, then let them out to free range. (I live in the woods and last year had an explosion of snakes!) My guineas are intended to keep them away!!
They love my home for some reason! At first they’d roost in my window boxes. I put tons of plastic forks in them, and that worked at first, but as they grew, they would kick out the forks until they got comfy!! So hubby put a wire grid bowed over the top. That seemed to work, but now they are roosting on my porch railing and deck chairs! (Poop everywhere!! )
I have done a ton of research, and tried lots of things. I keep all the lights off at night (inside and out) and have small lights in their coop to draw them there instead! I feed them in their coop at night. I leave my lab on the deck, but after her first chasing them weeks ago and getting scolded, I now think they are friends! She lets them walk all around her. I tried to “reset them” and left them in their coop for a weekend, thinking they would go back. I personally don’t care where they roost, as long as it’s not our living areas. They could roost in one of the many trees we have, but they choose my home! Help! I’d love to keep them, as our snake problem has significantly improved, and they are funny to watch!

 

[R2elk]

Hi! I’ve read several articles, have tried lots of things. But I don’t have a great solution yet! I’m new to guineas! My neighbor gave me some of her keets. I brought them home and kept them in their coop for several weeks, then let them out to free range. (I live in the woods and last year had an explosion of snakes!) My guineas are intended to keep them away!!
They love my home for some reason! At first they’d roost in my window boxes. I put tons of plastic forks in them, and that worked at first, but as they grew, they would kick out the forks until they got comfy!! So hubby put a wire grid bowed over the top. That seemed to work, but now they are roosting on my porch railing and deck chairs! (Poop everywhere!! )
I have done a ton of research, and tried lots of things. I keep all the lights off at night (inside and out) and have small lights in their coop to draw them there instead! I feed them in their coop at night. I leave my lab on the deck, but after her first chasing them weeks ago and getting scolded, I now think they are friends! She lets them walk all around her. I tried to “reset them” and left them in their coop for a weekend, thinking they would go back. I personally don’t care where they roost, as long as it’s not our living areas. They could roost in one of the many trees we have, but they choose my home! Help! I’d love to keep them, as our snake problem has significantly improved, and they are funny to watch!

Guineas can be taught. It requires consistency.

If you don't want them roosting on your porch at night, put them in their coop for the night. You can do this by teaching them to be herded or calling them in for treats or food, etc. You have to do this every evening.

If it is a daytime problem, chase them off of the porch every time you see them there. You have to do it every time. It can't be that it is okay one time and not another time.

Personally my turkeys do a better job of keeping snakes away than do guineas.

 

[Bpeterbeck]

Guineas can be taught. It requires consistency.

If you don't want them roosting on your porch at night, put them in their coop for the night. You can do this by teaching them to be herded or calling them in for treats or food, etc. You have to do this every evening.

If it is a daytime problem, chase them off of the porch every time you see them there. You have to do it every time. It can't be that it is okay one time and not another time.

Personally my turkeys do a better job of keeping snakes away than do guineas.

I heard them down there. Every. Single. Night. I do it at dusk, but often I hear them on the deck so I chase them off and scoot them to their coop. I try to catch them before they are up there. But, if we are gone, and not home until later.... that’s where they are! On my deck chairs!!

 

[Bpeterbeck]

I heard them down there. Every. Single. Night. I do it at dusk, but often I hear them on the deck so I chase them off and scoot them to their coop. I try to catch them before they are up there. But, if we are gone, and not home until later.... that’s where they are! On my deck chairs!!

If I do it too soon... there’s no way they are going to be herded anywhere! They run willy nilly everywhere! They need to be sleepy to be encouraged to go there!

 

[R2elk]

If I do it too soon... there’s no way they are going to be herded anywhere! They run willy nilly everywhere! They need to be sleepy to be encouraged to go there!

They can be taught to be herded at anytime of the day. I started with 2 long sticks, one for each hand. Go slowly. Don't give up and let them win.

It can help to make a "funnel" with fenciing to make it easier once they are close to the coop. Once they are in the coop, shut them in for the night.

 

[Bpeterbeck]

They can be taught to be herded at anytime of the day. I started with 2 long sticks, one for each hand. Go slowly. Don't give up and let them win.

It can help to make a "funnel" with fenciing to make it easier once they are close to the coop. Once they are in the coop, shut them in for the night.

Hmmm. A funnel. Interesting. We did that for our deer. There are two of us ‘herding’. We each have long brooms and rakes. It works when we are home. But I have a life outside of my home! I’d like to be able to leave without spending hours first searching out, then finding these buggers! They are much happier out searching for bugs!
I wonder if reflective tape would work hanging from top or porch down to railing? Putting something unfavorable on the railing?

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Hmmm. A funnel. Interesting. We did that for our deer. There are two of us ‘herding’. We each have long brooms and rakes. It works when we are home. But I have a life outside of my home! I’d like to be able to leave without spending hours first searching out, then finding these buggers! They are much happier out searching for bugs!
I wonder if reflective tape would work hanging from top or porch down to railing? Putting something unfavorable on the railing?

You can try a fake owl, it may work long enough to encourage them to form a roosting habit elsewhere. You can also mount a motion activated sprinkler from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B078HK12H8?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

To be honest though, my guess is that the outcome for sleeping on your porch railing is that some predator, like a raccoon or owl, will figure out that there are easy pickings sitting there at night and will start taking your guineas. After that, the guineas will start roosting in the trees, then will get more slowly picked off over time. If at all possible, getting them roosting in a secure coop at night will keep the flock safer.

We have a lot of problems with snakes, and our guineas don’t do much about them but sometimes stand around them and yell! I’ve been told that Australian guineas are better about going after snakes than American guineas but I don’t really know.

 

[Sydney65]

Mine start off being returned to the coop around 430 pm for the night, when they were younger and it got dark earlier & it was 't so hot. My youngest still goes in earlier on her own;I imagine bc she's still adjusting to all day free ranging and her first experience w/heat, & she has a huge fan in her coop separate from the jumbos.
At this point it'll be a process for you. I'd put some millet seed in a coffee can so you can shake it, then give them some. They'll learn to associate the sound w/the best treat ever. Then coax them to the coop w/that sound, having millet already inside for them. You may have add a bit more so they see you do it. After a few times, they learn going to the coop at a certain time means goodies. Try to stay consistant on the time and always lock up once they're in. Cont putting a bit of millet in for them. Eventually they'll coop w/o the treat but you'll still need to lock up.
Now, getting them off the porch. We shook big dark towels at them, & that drove them offbut they came back. We got our grans huge water guns, the ones with long range. After awhile just leaving the gun on the porch was enough of a deterrent.
The youngest we didn't drive off,she's kind of spoiled. But as she joined the rest of the flock, she lost interest in hanging out there.
They know you're in there, and you represent "home". Mine now congregate at the patio door & knock to let me know it's time to do something (pay attention to them, give them snacks,or lock up for the night).

 

[Bpeterbeck]

Mine start off being returned to the coop around 430 pm for the night, when they were younger and it got dark earlier & it was 't so hot. My youngest still goes in earlier on her own;I imagine bc she's still adjusting to all day free ranging and her first experience w/heat, & she has a huge fan in her coop separate from the jumbos.
At this point it'll be a process for you. I'd put some millet seed in a coffee can so you can shake it, then give them some. They'll learn to associate the sound w/the best treat ever. Then coax them to the coop w/that sound, having millet already inside for them. You may have add a bit more so they see you do it. After a few times, they learn going to the coop at a certain time means goodies. Try to stay consistant on the time and always lock up once they're in. Cont putting a bit of millet in for them. Eventually they'll coop w/o the treat but you'll still need to lock up.
Now, getting them off the porch. We shook big dark towels at them, & that drove them offbut they came back. We got our grans huge water guns, the ones with long range. After awhile just leaving the gun on the porch was enough of a deterrent.
The youngest we didn't drive off,she's kind of spoiled. But as she joined the rest of the flock, she lost interest in hanging out there.
They know you're in there, and you represent "home". Mine now congregate at the patio door & knock to let me know it's time to do something (pay attention to them, give them snacks,or lock up for the night).

Millet is on my list!! I’ll try it!!
Haha! I had a squirt bottle and I was squirting them through the window. Again... if I was home all the time, this would be easier. But I have teens! With busy sports schedules!!

 

[Sydney65]

Millet is on my list!! I’ll try it!!
Haha! I had a squirt bottle and I was squirting them through the window. Again... if I was home all the time, this would be easier. But I have teens! With busy sports schedules!!

Yeah, I get the kids & schedules. You've got 2 long term projects on your hands (kids/guineas). No worries, make it a team building experience. If they're in sports, they can shake a coffee can & use a water gun-and hose off the porch. For everything we do for them, it's a good thing for them to realize that you need help, too.