I probably made a huge mistake.

[woodmort]

After having (for the first time) a half dozen guinea hens for a year and half I lost them all to a predator--probably a fox--within a couple of weeks at the end of June. This much to the dismay of 3 cocks owned by a neighbor that visited us--and often spent the night even in 30 below weather, Fortunately just as I was losing the hens I rescued 6 eggs and put them in my incubator, However, I became concerned as to whether I'd get a hatch (it is a Nova-Bator with air circulation and automatic turner that has produced good results in hatching chicks) as some of the eggs had sat for a time. So I went to Purely Poultry and ordered 15 keets to be sent on the 6th. Of my 6 eggs, two hatched, two pipped but the keets died, and 2 were unfertilized so, by end-week, when my delivery arrives, I'll have 17 guineas. Assume they all make it I have a feeling that might be a few too many.

I know this sounds nuts but once I turned those 6 (plus 3) out in the spring the incidents of deer ticks on my two outdoor cats dropped to zero from about 1 a week the previous summer. And, as noisy as they can be, I do miss the sound--we got used to them but I'm not sure the neighbors did. Hopefully this time I can do a better job of protecting them.

 

[red horse ranch]

If you have more guineas than you need they are very easy to sell. I've hatched close to 200 of them this summer and they are all sold or spoke for. And this is sparsely populated Wyoming. I sell some newborns but they are easiest to sell when fully feathered around 6 weeks old.

I can understand how you felt when the fox got you guineas. A fox took one of my few males this summer. It's kind of a Catch 22; let them free range to control insects (leaves them vulnerable to predators) or pen them up for their safety (no bug control which defeats the purpose of having them....).

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who enjoys the sound of them. It wouldn't be country living without roosters crowing and guineas and turkeys joining in the song!