This beautiful critter is endowed with about the same intelligence as a fence post. They are called Guinea fowl and the young are called Keets, Not chicks. They are tough birds and I have not ever known them to show fear although they are by no means at the top of the food chain. I had heard that they were tough on snakes and then I personally saw two of them playing catch with one. Now, in spite of their warts I am a believer that they are worth having around any farm whether hobby or not.
They are not native to America. Supposedly they came originally from Africa. If you think they bear a resemblance to the American Turkey be assured you are not the first. The story goes that they were being developed in Anatolia which is an area in Turkey. When settlers here saw the bird we now call the turkey they hung the moniker on it thinking it was a guinea fowl. Contrary to popular belief, I was not around back then and do not know if that version of their history is true. It does sound logical and I read it on the internet.
What I do know is that the birds roost in trees 50 or more feet in the air. They talk to each other in a voice only exceeded in it's annoying qualities by the peacock. Despite their capability of flight you may see one on one side of a fence with the flock on the other. The separated one will run up and down the fence line and never once think of flying over. It will eventually find a hole and join the flock.If you look very closely at the top picture there is something that looks like a rhino horn on the top of their heads. This is recent but this is the longest we have had a flock. I really have not researched it to see if this is a sign of maturity. I sure never saw them until now.
I do not recall what I had for lunch so I sure don’t remember what prompted us to start raising Guinea Fowl. It may have been because a teacher that I worked with told me about them. I think they should all come fitted with a dunce cap but they fit right in. In my opinion the chicken is more intelligent although how I came to that determination I cannot honestly answer. For those of you that can give me instances of chicken intelligence I can give examples where it is notable only by it's absence.
I do not recall what I had for lunch so I sure don’t remember what prompted us to start raising Guinea Fowl. It may have been because a teacher that I worked with told me about them. I think they should all come fitted with a dunce cap but they fit right in. In my opinion the chicken is more intelligent although how I came to that determination I cannot honestly answer. For those of you that can give me instances of chicken intelligence I can give examples where it is notable only by it's absence.
I have seen one of a pair of guineas chasing the other. After a spell (which may be considerable) they will stop, turn and the chaser/chasee roles are reversed. Jogging partners? They are undaunted by automobiles although they are certainly not unaffected. They attack the cars and they die.
We replenish with a new flock almost every year and this one has lasted well. Seven remain of about 12 after a year. We actually purchased 24 but half disappeared two nights after the release. They are probably another flock somewhere now but they seem to do best when they eat, and they had to find their own food after they left. Seven remaining of twelve is the gold standard for our farm.
I never give up on seeing them again. After hurricane Rita we lost a bunch. Our turkeys all died but the Guineas started showing up after the wind died down and most returned within two weeks. I have no idea how far they were blown. About the same time I became convinced that the Pooh Bear was developing a taste for Guinea Fowl. She was crafty and I couldn't prove it but if I had it to do over again she would have spent her final time with us on a tether.
We have stopped trying to find eggs and hatch them. We purchased our last flock from Ideal Poultry (on line or in Cameron Texas) and it was much easier. Perhaps our last flocks had evolved into car dive bombers. Good to break the chain.
We replenish with a new flock almost every year and this one has lasted well. Seven remain of about 12 after a year. We actually purchased 24 but half disappeared two nights after the release. They are probably another flock somewhere now but they seem to do best when they eat, and they had to find their own food after they left. Seven remaining of twelve is the gold standard for our farm.
I never give up on seeing them again. After hurricane Rita we lost a bunch. Our turkeys all died but the Guineas started showing up after the wind died down and most returned within two weeks. I have no idea how far they were blown. About the same time I became convinced that the Pooh Bear was developing a taste for Guinea Fowl. She was crafty and I couldn't prove it but if I had it to do over again she would have spent her final time with us on a tether.
We have stopped trying to find eggs and hatch them. We purchased our last flock from Ideal Poultry (on line or in Cameron Texas) and it was much easier. Perhaps our last flocks had evolved into car dive bombers. Good to break the chain.
We feed our birds together. In normal times there doesn’t seem to be a real pecking order except for the Geese who are the royal family. They are not pictured here. In this picture the feed has been on the ground for a little while. The feed is chicken scratch and the preferred grains are gone. I know that because it is a pretty democratic scene with the guineas feeding right along with everyone else..
In this picture things are not so democratic. I threw out another scoop of feed and the situation changed. The geese, ducks, and chickens all dived in and the guineas assumed these seats in the gallery (on the fence) and waited till some of the others moved on.
The area in which Guineas excel over others is the elimination of fleas and ticks. We got our first flock of guineas about 5 years ago. We put them in a cage with a light outside our kitchen window and it was great entertainment. The bugs came to the light and the little keets fought for the bugs. I do not know what Jeff Foxworthy might say about it but it's pretty good entertainment.
When this flock was released there were two dogs that developed a taste for guinea hens and we lost a couple before we got that under control. The neighbors daughter told me that her dad actually cooked one that their dog had killed and she thought that was gross.
The area in which Guineas excel over others is the elimination of fleas and ticks. We got our first flock of guineas about 5 years ago. We put them in a cage with a light outside our kitchen window and it was great entertainment. The bugs came to the light and the little keets fought for the bugs. I do not know what Jeff Foxworthy might say about it but it's pretty good entertainment.
When this flock was released there were two dogs that developed a taste for guinea hens and we lost a couple before we got that under control. The neighbors daughter told me that her dad actually cooked one that their dog had killed and she thought that was gross.
When we got the guineas the first time I was used to pulling ticks off the dogs every time they went outside and routinely using the flea medications that are available. In the past four years I have removed exactly one tick from Bob and basically stopped using flea medications. We have chickens, ducks, and geese as well but it sure started with the guineas.
They roam an area of perhaps 20 acres. Only five of those acres belong to us so we don’t get the full benefit. We had to educate the neighbors on why they had a sudden shortage of bug bites before they stopped being annoyed. Now I think my neighbors enjoy being able to sit outside at night and are very aware of where the credit is due.
They roam an area of perhaps 20 acres. Only five of those acres belong to us so we don’t get the full benefit. We had to educate the neighbors on why they had a sudden shortage of bug bites before they stopped being annoyed. Now I think my neighbors enjoy being able to sit outside at night and are very aware of where the credit is due.
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