eating everything but bugs

[queenmamahen2]

Help My Guinea 's are eating everything but bugs. I have let them out to roam freely and now they have eaten everything in the garden but. And they have eaten every flower in my flower garden and now working on the leaves. They have stomped on everything. Getting ready to eat them now!

 

[FrogRaku]

That's a tough one... I'd think bug eating would be instinctual.... Maybe you could try showing them that they're tasty. I've given mine worms that I've found while digging and even some Japanese beetles. Maybe dig up a couple worms and toss them on top of their food dish? Or try some dried mealworms (mine LOVE them). You could also put up some chicken wire around the garden and flowerbeds for a week or two to try train them to stay out. Good luck!

 

[queenmamahen2]

Thanks for the reply, however, I have tried all of that. They have been caged for 8 months while we got our fence done to keep them in. They are also pinioned so they can't fly out. Every night we would give them their treat of dried mealy worms. I spent $80 on worms to make sure that they would get something to teach them. When we were finally ready to let them out they were, of course, confused, however, now they have been out less than a month and I have no blooms left on my flowers and the grass blades are gone on the small plot of grass that I have in the back yard. My husband has an extensive vegetable garden and I have extensive flower and shrub gardens in different areas in the yard. We live in South Texas where things grow for a long season. In fact, all of my begonias lived all winter. They were beautiful and the garden was producing but now all the cucumbers, cantaloupes, bell peppers, blooms on the flowers, grass blades and anything they can reach are gone. I am at my wits end. I was really looking forward to some help with the bugs so that I wouldn't have to spray. We have half an acre so there is plenty for them to eat. Now I am afraid that I am going to have to get rid of them after all of this time putting up with their noise. Still I liked them but if I don't find some help they will have to go.

 

[FrogRaku]

I can imagine how upsetting having this must be for you! I'm sorry don't have any better suggestions. I hope someone else will come up with a solution for you!

 

[queenmamahen2]

Now that they have eaten everything else up and destroyed the garden. They are now starting to eat bugs but still would rather eat the bird feed. So had to stop feeding the birds as well for now. Starting to give them hope.

 

[MakeshiftAcre]

Maybe try a variety of different plants to find some they don't like. My guineas don't eat daffodils, morning glories, honeysuckle, raspberries, mint or lemon balm (not that I would recommend planting mint or lemon balm); I think they avoid coarse or strong tasting plants. I've had to cage my lettuce, peas and grape vines behind wire fence to keep my guineas and ducks from eating them.

 

[ChicopeeBrookFM]

The first night I got mine there was a moth that flew into their brooder and they all ran and hid. After a while, though there wasn't a stay mosquito in the house. I moved them outside when they were two weeks old and theyre brooding in a more spacious airy box. Look forward to free ranging them when theyre old enough. Theyre 4 weeks now

 

[MakeshiftAcre]

I spoke too soon, someone's started eating the honeysuckle. I'm inclined to blame the ducks, though...

 

[shortgrass]

Oh that's aggravating! I've not had problems with my guinea eating my veg, but I've had to fence off areas from the ducks(lost my strawberries twice already this year grrr)... The guinea are the only ones I DO trust lol...

Maybe the confinement left them lacking, nutritionally...so they're gorging on delicious vegetation that their bodies have been craving. That would also add to bring scared of bugs if they aren't used to seeing and eating them....

You have y sympathy on your garden... I have sticks for potatoes and all my wonder berries are gone, no pie... My tomatoes get pecked if I don't make it to them in time...these are my chickens doing all the damage and the guinea are usually making racket tattling lol

Time, feed changes.. Maybe they're missing something still... Higher protein feed may be what they need... Alfalfa pellets or a bale of hay; that should keep them occupied, but honestly, when there's that much deliciousness at their feet, they probably aren't going to stop until winter

 

[ChicopeeBrookFM]

Maybe if they have a pile if fresh cut grass or something before they go out they will lose interest. I can't get mine to eat melon or any of the things I give to the chickens as treats.