Backyard Poultry Forum

I'm new to this forum and apologies if this topic has already been covered.
We have about 30 guinea fowl on our farm as insect control in our non-chemical veggie garden.
They now refuse to go into their specially-built wooden house at night and instead roost outside.
Over the last couple of months a number of them have chosen to ignore the abundant trees surrounding the house/garden area and roost on my washing line!
I therefore cannot leave any washing on the line overnight and regularly have to rake away a pile of droppings from underfoot.
Does anyone have any hints for making my washing line less attractive?

Could you leave a heap of pegs on it so it's uncomfortable to roost on? Although if they roost with clothes on the line they probably won't care about them, lol.

Maybe try and temp them into their house at night with food rewards?

Don't know - they are determined strong-minded birds. Water-pistol at roosting time? Canopy cover (expensive - keeps the rain off the washing too)?

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PC

Something like those bird of prey scarer things on the clothes line? (or maybe a big 'cat face') at perching level?
That seemed to work to keep the Currawongs from going in my chook flap. Doesn't need to be very realistic - just something with basic features drawn on.

as you a4e f8nding out Guineas have minds of their own! I think i would try rushing out as they are settling down to roost on the tine and flap a towel at them. They will get spooked by it and fly somewhere else. Hopefully somewhere like a tree. But dont count on it lol. From my experience to move guineas on, flapping something is the best way to go.

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NellyG ........................

Thanks to everyone who has replied!
I'm going to try a bird-scarer that I found on eBay. It's called the Scare Hawk Decoy - according to the online blurb it was mentioned by Dr Harry on Better Homes and Gardens.

Good luck, and DO let us know how it goes!

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NellyG ........................

hey riverbend2371, how did you go with deterring your guineafowl roosting on the clothesline?

i have a similar thing but no poop on clean washing to contend with, thank goodness...
some young guineas have resisted sleeping in their shed for the last few weeks. i don't know why, as there have been frosts and drenching rain making nights pretty yucky. i started with 10 or 11 of them sitting on top of the pen and i'd grab them and place them on a perch inside. gradually the number have gotten down to 2 up high last night and the rest inside. i hope in a week or so they might all be in, when i do lockdown.

they are not a creature easily deterred from their choices.

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whomever lives longest wins

ps i love your clothesline cover idea PossumCorner. i have looked them up online before just for the blaring Summer sun.

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whomever lives longest wins