Guinea question

[SassyCatHill]

Do Guineas scratch up the ground and make a mess of your gardens the way chickens do when you let them free range?
I'm considering getting some to help control the tick population around here but I don't want to do it if they are as destructive as the chickens were before I got them penned back up.

 

[Broke Down Ranch]

I have heard people say that guineas are not as destructive but mine were. They would create HUGE craters in my garden for dirt bath's. They would walk thru my garden and sample each and every tomato and if one plant had the best tasting tomatoes, they would clean the plant of every 'mater on there. Then they would set in on my cantaloupes. They wouldn't hollow one completely out but they would taste each and every one of them.

Unless you can keep the guineas from your garden, you will probably not like them sampling all the tender juicy yummies....

If you just have flower gardens then they might do OK there. Mine didn't ever mess with my flowers.

 

[wynedot55]

they do not scratch up the ground at all.now they do scratch for buggs an worms.but hens scratch ground till its bare.

 

[rooster0209]

My Guineas have not bothered my garden at all. They do like to sit in my lillies that are planted in front of the basement window and look at their reflection. They havent scratched out any grass either.

I was using an ancient wheel barrow as a planter last year. Over the winter the guineas kicked the snow out and rolled in the dirt, now the cats nap in it, so I am wondering if its worth planting in it again.