Any good pics of your guineas?

[SamLockwood]

What do people keep guineas for?

Guineas are more aggressive foragers than chickens. I had to add extra fencing because mine kept trying to invade neighboring properties in search of food. They not only eat ticks but a variety of insects as well as small lizards and snakes,

They're also very territorial and a bit more alert than more domesticated fowl, so some people get them as flock guardians (which has had mixed results for me).

Guineas are also hardier than chickens.

Do they provide eggs regularly as chickens do? I’ve seen that people eat them, are they good?

Guineas have a shorter "laying season" than chickens do, but in my experience when they are laying they're more productive than chickens are. Guinea eggs are smaller but with the same size yolk. The flavor is a little stronger than a regular chicken egg (more like a duck egg if you've eaten them). Some of the people I supply eggs to prefer the guinea eggs.

Are they worth the effort of raising them for food?

I don't raise mine for meat, but I've read they're regarded as a delicacy in many places. Whether or not it's "worth the effort" depends on what you mean. I doubt you'll make money selling guinea meat, but if you're looking into them for small scale homesteading they're probably worth it.

They are so beautiful but seem obnoxious.

The only time I found them annoying was in their adolescent phase (about 16 weeks old) because they had no filter for what was a threat and what wasn't. I had a solid month of them freaking out and screaming at everything from real threats (like a coyote nosing around the fence) to non-threats (like the neighbor's lawnmower or a squirrel).

After that, they're actually pretty quiet most of the time even if they never truly shut up. They constantly chat with each other with a series of chirps, hoots, whistles, and clicks. It sort of sounds like a some weird 1970's synth-rock concept soundtrack as they wander around. It's actually quote soothing.
Their danger-call sounds like the love-child of a bandsaw biting into metal and a machine gun. You really don't want to be near them when they're upset.

My parents go to South Africa for hunting trips every few years and they’ve “hunted” guineas there before. Venturing to guess it was really less of a hunt and more of a means to get a quick dinner. Not sure I could ever “hunt” one myself as they are so beautiful.

I can't imagine they're that much fun to hunt: they're not particularly stealthy and they often react to threats by marching head-on at them in a group screaming their heads off.

 

[R2elk]

I can't imagine they're that much fun to hunt: they're not particularly stealthy and they often react to threats by marching head-on at them in a group screaming their heads off.

In tall grass mine would flush just like a pheasant.

 

[Yardmom]

This was taken for a photo of my daughter for the Christmas card last year. Turns out to be our best guinea picture. Unfortunately we only have one left due to predators.

 

[alinas2010]

Guineas are more aggressive foragers than chickens. I had to add extra fencing because mine kept trying to invade neighboring properties in search of food. They not only eat ticks but a variety of insects as well as small lizards and snakes,

They're also very territorial and a bit more alert than more domesticated fowl, so some people get them as flock guardians (which has had mixed results for me).

Guineas are also hardier than chickens.

Guineas have a shorter "laying season" than chickens do, but in my experience when they are laying they're more productive than chickens are. Guinea eggs are smaller but with the same size yolk. The flavor is a little stronger than a regular chicken egg (more like a duck egg if you've eaten them). Some of the people I supply eggs to prefer the guinea eggs.


I don't raise mine for meat, but I've read they're regarded as a delicacy in many places. Whether or not it's "worth the effort" depends on what you mean. I doubt you'll make money selling guinea meat, but if you're looking into them for small scale homesteading they're probably worth it.


The only time I found them annoying was in their adolescent phase (about 16 weeks old) because they had no filter for what was a threat and what wasn't. I had a solid month of them freaking out and screaming at everything from real threats (like a coyote nosing around the fence) to non-threats (like the neighbor's lawnmower or a squirrel).

After that, they're actually pretty quiet most of the time even if they never truly shut up. They constantly chat with each other with a series of chirps, hoots, whistles, and clicks. It sort of sounds like a some weird 1970's synth-rock concept soundtrack as they wander around. It's actually quote soothing.
Their danger-call sounds like the love-child of a bandsaw biting into metal and a machine gun. You really don't want to be near them when they're upset.


I can't imagine they're that much fun to hunt: they're not particularly stealthy and they often react to threats by marching head-on at them in a group screaming their heads off.

Thanks for the insight! Very informative. I don’t have property right now to raise guineas, just a small backyard chicken flock. But one day I would love them, if anything just for their beauty and entertainment. They seem like they have some wonderful characteristics that make them worth keeping. I’ve just never known much about them!

 

[fowltemptress]

A few more guinea pictures.

 

[Tayjen]

I have an ignorant question. What do people keep guineas for? Do they provide eggs regularly as chickens do? I’ve seen that people eat them, are they good? Are they worth the effort of raising them for food? They are so beautiful but seem obnoxious. My parents go to South Africa for hunting trips every few years and they’ve “hunted” guineas there before. Venturing to guess it was really less of a hunt and more of a means to get a quick dinner. Not sure I could ever “hunt” one myself as they are so beautiful.

They are pretty and keep the snakes/ticks away!

 

[alinas2010]

View attachment 3705721
They are pretty and keep the snakes/ticks away!

They’re gorgeous!! And excellent reasons! They’re on my dream animals list. Those feathers are just wow.

 

[SamLockwood]

Late afternoon foraging:

 

[PoultryFanatic22]

 

[Hablo]

These are my favorite photos cuz both of them look so cute on them that I wanna cuddle them. But for this they are too shy. Fortunately, I managed to get both of them to go into the coop on their own after one month of hard training. Before that, they were even more shy.
Schorsch (grey one) and Petra (brown) <3

Greetings from Frankenjura in Germany