I finally got my Guineas

14 years ago

After long tries of getting some Guineas I finally found a lady in Henderson who sold me some Guineas. I brought them for ant/tick/snake control. I heard they were wonderful at that. We started talking about Guineas on the tick control thread and not wanting to hijack that thread I started my own.

For those of you considering Guineas here is something jenica posted to me on another forum that I thought was pretty funny:

Here are the likes:

1. Their faces are as ugly as sin but in a way that makes me laugh

2. They have this funny way of charging around with their wing feathers tucked up.

3. They make sweet little chirping noises to each other

4. They do sound the warning if any big bird flies over head

5. Just this week the females decided to nest in my barn. They're really cute because while one of the females is laying the other stands next to her to wait her turn on the nest. Meanwhile their mates hover nearby cheering them on with little chirps. Very cute.

The hates:

1. They are very LOUD

2. They sound the warning for EVERYTHING. Every time the sun rises they must think the earth is going to catch fire because they screech for an hour. Then when the sun sets they let everyone know the world has ended. Anytime a neighbor drives by, a dog barks a mile away, the wind gusts, a cloud covers the sun the screeching is on.

3. They eat like pigs and don't lay me tasty eggs every day like the chickens (guineas lay seasonally)

4. They're mean to the chickens. Chasing them and pecking at them while the chickens run panicky. Not cool. They were raised with the younger chickens and this didn't start happening until everyone was grown up. No one has been injured but I still don't like the bullying.

I am interested in hearing what your experience in the garden has been with Guineas

I have not heard the adults making any sounds yet. All I can tell you is that I had the day old keets in my office and they made such loud noises that I thought they were going to pierce my eardrum. I put them in the basement and I could hear them load and clear through the floor. Soon as I can afford some wood I am building their coop outside so they can get outta here. I do like animal noises outside though. Part of the joy in nature.

Thanks

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Comments (3)

zigzag
14 years ago
Good for you! My son has integrated his guinea babies into his chicken flock and so far, so good - but I did c&p the above and send it to him! Couple of weeks ago we did the Franklin County Farm Tour and one venue had guineas running in a pack all around - verrrry funny and interesting!

On a sadder note, son lost his duet of (very pretty, supposedly rare breed) roosters last night to a stray dog. Looks like dog clawed and dug his way in and made dinner of them. So sad.
ncgardengirl
14 years ago
We got some Guineas Monday, I am so glad we did. We were looking for ant control too I can't wait for them to grow up. Tuesday morning they woke me up because they were too cold but the other half put a light in there with them and they have been happy ever since!
I can't wait until they get bigger. I wanted to get some chicks to go with them but the man we got the Guineas from had mixed up chickens and we wanted pure breed.
ANyway congrats on your new babies!

:) Fran
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msjay2u
Original Author
14 years ago
zig zag it took me half a day to figure out c&p meant cut and paste! LOL. I read lots of responses on the guinea threads and so far it sounds like the guineas can be with the chickens until they turn into adults and then they turn really mean towards the chickens. Sad really cause I would have liked to keep them together. But then again I will let the Guineas have free reigh over the yard while the chickens are confined to their fenced in area. Only occasionally do I let them out. Sorry to hear of the murder the dogs committed. Dogs aggravate me when they come around my place. So far they have all gotten zapped by my hot wire and well they have not returned : - )

ncgardengirl you do have to keep a light on the Guineas if they are keets. I have a 100 watt bulb on mines and I am not sure if it is warm enough because they stay huddled up a lot. I can't wait to see if they make a difference. I have a horrible weed problem this year (clovers) ever since we cut the grass the first time. It spread weeds all over the place and it is out of control! I hear they eat the weed seeds. Oh and those white flowers on the cloves well they attracted more than my fair share of bees! Not to mention that I have a lot of ants in one of my tress, They can eat every one of them. I seen a lot of wasps this year too, more food for them and you probably read about my smooth earth snakes. I don't mind if they become part of the food chain. Termites, have not seen any of them yet THANK GOD! Oh and I have so many gnats and ticks too. Just how does this get out of control like this? I can't do it all and sincce I have other animals I can not spray so I am really depending on the guineas to help me out. I should have brought 20 of these suckers. They are so cute! (In an ugly sorta way)

I put a small round mirror from the dollar store in the brooder today and they stay in the mirror chirping at themselves. They are so vain!