Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Marie2020]

Yesterday I was going to mention what happened to me. But I didn’t. So I’m telling you now. I was sitting near the coop door watching the birds kicking around in the yard, when I felt a sudden drop of water on my shoulder (little more than a drop) I looked at my jacket and then looked up into the trees. There I saw several blackbirds and I could swear that they were laughing at me! “Hey Pete, watch this shot!”
“Nice one Sam, perfect trajectory!”

One of those blighters on princess wing.

 

[Marie2020]

We are on strike, we want more food

 

[Marie2020]

I'm still looking and I still can't find it

 

[Grandma The Chicken]

Ahhhh and here I thought she had renamed you to Dinah

You’re such a pretty Henny

Oi, you just game me a name idea for my next chicken! I like the name Dinah. It is quite similar to my cousin's name.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I hear a ruckus this afternoon. I stepped out on the porch and it sounded like some god-awful noises coming from where we keep the hay. Loud, Loud, Loud. Slip on my shoes and go to investigate. I quickly realize it is not coming from my yard, but the last house on our street. By now it has clicked this is some sort of bird, and it dawns on me a mile up the road where the eggs Branch hatched came from they got Guinea's recently. I am thinking at this point, I heard they were loud but there is no way they could be that loud so far away. Keep walking and low n behold there they were, 3 half grown guinea's roaming and shrieking in my neighbors yard. Goodness Gracious the noise those 3 birds made. There is 2 normal colored ones and a light colored one that has to be a lavender or pearl guinea. I helped my neighbor shoo them back up towards where they came from, and he laughs and say's he thought they were my turkeys. Nope, not mine, and they are not turkeys. Plus I only have chickens. Not going to lie, they were cute, after a minute the noise did not bother me either. I WANT ONE. Not going to get any, but I am now secretly hoping they come visiting again. If they do, I will be outside ready for them camera in hand. I will not offer treats, I will resist that much. If they happen to find my chickens feeders, well, that is not me feeding them, that is them stealing food.

 

[RoyalChick]

I hear a ruckus this afternoon. I stepped out on the porch and it sounded like some god-awful noises coming from where we keep the hay. Loud, Loud, Loud. Slip on my shoes and go to investigate. I quickly realize it is not coming from my yard, but the last house on our street. By now it has clicked this is some sort of bird, and it dawns on me a mile up the road where the eggs Branch hatched came from they got Guinea's recently. I am thinking at this point, I heard they were loud but there is no way they could be that loud so far away. Keep walking and low n behold there they were, 3 half grown guinea's roaming and shrieking in my neighbors yard. Goodness Gracious the noise those 3 birds made. There is 2 normal colored ones and a light colored one that has to be a lavender or pearl guinea. I helped my neighbor shoo them back up towards where they came from, and he laughs and say's he thought they were my turkeys. Nope, not mine, and they are not turkeys. Plus I only have chickens. Not going to lie, they were cute, after a minute the noise did not bother me either. I WANT ONE. Not going to get any, but I am now secretly hoping they come visiting again. If they do, I will be outside ready for them camera in hand. I will not offer treats, I will resist that much. If they happen to find my chickens feeders, well, that is not me feeding them, that is them stealing food.

I would love to see pictures. I am still toying with the idea of Guineas for tick control. I don’t think I will ever actually do it but I am so tempted!

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I would love to see pictures. I am still toying with the idea of Guineas for tick control. I don’t think I will ever actually do it but I am so tempted!

I vote get them. You will not have a tick problem, they are great apparently for protecting from aerial predators and better then any watch dog. Also, after 2 weeks, we can sneak in a rooster and you will NEVER hear him crow, ever.

 

[RoyalChick]

I vote get them. You will not have a tick problem, they are great apparently for protecting from aerial predators and better then any watch dog. Also, after 2 weeks, we can sneak in a rooster and you will NEVER hear him crow, ever.

I think the issue is me and whether I could every really cope with them. The best model would be to give them shelter and feed and let them loose. This means they will likely come back now and then but mostly live wild. A bunch will get taken by predators - especially if raising young on nests - and if numbers get too low I restock.
I can cope with all that nature in the raw that goes on for truly wild creatures.
I couldn't cope with that for my chickens or my cats.
Somehow Guineas would be a bit in between and I would have to learn not to fall in love with individual birds and not get stressed out that some go missing.
Not sure I can do that.

 

[SimpleJenn]

How do the guineas do with dog predation? I could just see my parent's dog ripping after them if they were out.
Also nope not considering them, they look like bagpipes.

 

[RoyalChick]

How do the guineas do with dog predation? I could just see my parent's dog ripping after them if they were out.
Also nope not considering them, they look like bagpipes.

My understanding is they fly really well so they are pretty good at surviving except when they are sitting on a nest.
I think the babies are pretty vulnerable too.
They tend to roost in trees so can get picked off by owls.
I like how they look!