Guineas and snakes

[Haulinbass02]

Sooooo, I have heard this from several people and was wondering if it is true. Do guineas kill snakes or just deter them from coming around or what? My FIL keeps telling me I need to get a couple of guineas to keep the snakes away and am wondering why he says that. He says that he heard it somewhere, so I am trying to figure out if there is actually merit to the statement.

The problem is the rat snakes that have been coming around lately. No problems last year and now they are everywhere this year. And I don't even have my chicken coop or chickens yet!!! I have got to get that under control before I get my chickies!!!

 

[stephen skinner]

Guinea fowl are a wondeful addition to your homestead if you don't mind the noise. They're death on ticks and any other insect they incounter. They are bullies in the barnyard and insist on eating first but they never seem to hurt any chickens and got along fine with my ducks and geese.mine ranged freely and were never caged. They roost high. Tree tops or the peak of barns and outbuildings. I had 12 that roamed my five acres and sometimes my neighbors yard. They never bothered my garden. As for snake killing? My near neighbor warned about rattle snakes and showed me a 5 gallon water j7g about 1/4 filled with rattles he had collected over several years. He never went out without his pistol loaded with bird shot and killed snakes every week in the warm months. We lived there for 5 years and never saw a snake on our property. I saw them in neighbors yards on either side and in the road that ran in front of our property so I know they were around. I never saw the guineas acctualy kill a snake but I watched them fine comb every square inch of the property. When we moved my neighbor asked to buy my guines. There worth a try and good addition.

 

[robin416]

They will let you know they're there but don't do much about them. I've seen four and five footers that the Guineas never noticed and saw the same thing with the discussing about what to do about a small one.

Although I will say when my Guineas here my gun go off they come running to find out what's up and will join in to take care of the trouble. Problem is that means they are usually between me and what I'm shooting at. The last time was a four or five foot poisonous snake. They went after it but when the snake struck out at them they decided they'd just let me shoot it.

 

[Cacklin" Hens]

Ever since I have had guineas, I have not seen ANY snakes in or near the chicken coop or even outside for that matter. When i first got them i found a black one dead that seemed to be attacked by the guineas, but I am not 100% sure. I really think they were the ones that did it though. Hope this helps!

 

[member 447614]

Ive seen Guinea fowl kill Rats, Garter, and Rat snakes, even Rattlesnakes, Copper heads, and Water Moccasins. And I've even just seen them encircle Rats, and snakes, and just harass them till they move off out of the chicken area. It really depends on the bird, and the age. Older Guinea fowl will kill, and young will harass.

 

[red horse ranch]

I think it depends on the guineas. I live in rattlesnake country too. When we first moved here we killed a lot of them around the house. Then I got guineas and never saw a snake for 5 years. After selling the older guineas we started seeing snakes again. The younger guineas we've had since then will just sound the alarm until we kill the snake. I have killed 2 rattlers recently including one in the chicken pen. Most of the birds were just watching it. But the guineas did raise a ruckus which caused me to look for a snake. So I wouldn't count on guineas solving all your snake problem. But they do seem to help.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Yep
Circle and discuss.

 

[damselfish]

I have heard it to, but the one time I saw my guineas near a snake (small), they were discussing it, not eating it.

 

[robin416]

Three weeks or so ago I relocated a black snake heading for my chicken coop, the Guineas never paid any attention at all to what I was doing. I had a black snake constrict two of my Dutch hens, the Guineas didn't do much about that one either.

Last week my husband saw a four footer moving away from the Guinea coop. They didn't do anything about that one either.

So either my Guineas rely on me to kill or remove the snakes or the snake thing is blown out of proportion.

 

[tcmstalcup]

mine do not tolerate snakes. I live in rattlesnake country but they don't last long anywhere near the house or chicken house or barns.