Re: OT - Guinea Fowl as Pest Control, Dog, Kid, Po

Posted by jdemaris on July 13, 2006 at 19:54:05 from (66.218.20.104):

In Reply to: OT - Guinea Fowl as Pest Control, Dog, Kid, Pool, posted by Joe MD on July 13, 2006 at 14:24:00:

We tried them for several years here in central New York. Loved having them around and listening to their constant chatter. We raise goats and had a land-snail problem (the snails are a host for liver-flukes in goats). The Guinea Hens worked great for that - ate all the snails, bugs, and whatever around. Even picked beetles out of the garden without hurting anything. But - we gave up trying to keep them. At least with the hens we had - they all tended to leave, one by one - until there was ONLY one left. They'd wander out into the fields and woods, and we'd never see them alive again. I did though, find feather-piles in the woods where some fox, coyote, coon, etc. killed them. When all would be gone except one - all was okay - and the last one was content to stay at the farm. This happened a few times - we'd get down to one - and that one would live with the chickens and goats and sleep in the barn at night. But -eventually - a coon or something would finish the job. Our very last bird stayed here two years. One day we found it with one leg gone - obviously she'd been attacked. She survived and got along pretty good on one leg. Then one morning - all we found was feathers.
We also had a few killed along the way by "friendly" dogs. Never had a dog kill one of our chickens, but for some reason - they go after the Guineau Hens - maybe because they don't scatter and run like chickens?
As far as hurting little kids? I've always had kids around and the Guineau Hens were always fine. I can't say the same for a few Rhode Island Red roosters we had.
And - messing up your yard? Well, what goes in, must come out somewhere. It was the least of our worries around here.
I had one other problem with the hens. They loved foam-insulation. If you have any buildings that have it anywhere their beaks will reach - they'll pick at it until it's gone.

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