Is it worth it to keep guinea fowl?

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

They are noisy but that's just the way they are. Like others have said they are just about maintence free , great bug eaters and they are one of our fav table birds. The main problem we have with them is the hens will lay eggs under bushes, in the wood pile etc and once they started sitting on the eggs at night they would get eaten one by one. We decided to pen the breeders in a covered pen and turn out the "extra" males so far that has been the best of both worlds for us.

Steve

 

[speckledhen]

Guineas fly like nobody's business. No 6 ft fence will keep them in. They're great for ticks. They can and will often attack chickens and especially the roosters. Had to rehome mine and they were raised with the chickens. They decided all red chickens had to die and proceeded to make that reality. Then when they began attacking my rooster, they had to go. I want them again, but will have separate quarters for them at that time.

 

[rhoda_bruce]

I know what Cynthia is saying and I agree, but I think I will finish enclosing my yard with 5ft fencing and do a one-sided wing clip, like I do with the chickens.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Quote:
That one sided wing clip works if you don't have many predators. Mine kept attacking my chickens though, so they had to go. Now I have ticks again, and want some more

They are voracious bug eaters!!

 

[austinparrot13]

Quote:
I lik

e to know if guineas eat firer ants? From, Linda I still did not get my answer about firer arts? From, Linda

 

[BirdBrain]

My mothers six guineas took on a coyote, a stray dog and just recently a copperhead snake. They were raised with chickens but never lay in the coop nest boxes. We started with 8 and got rid of the two males who were leading the fight against the rooster and things calmed down dramatically. They adopted a barred rock hen as mother when they were about 10 weeks old. It was the funniest thing. Mom is forever looking for their nests, but has gotten pretty good at finding them. They are reliable layers laying 5-6 eggs a day between 6 hens for months and months. She has had two go broody, but they were easy for her to break. They had a terrible grasshopper infestation as well as a catepillar (some moth larva) that was destroying the pasture in short order. But around the house and barn there was lovely green grass. They are noisy but endearing and worth their weight in gold.

 

[savingdogs]

So as table fare, how are they to pluck? How much meat to you get from each bird?

 

[Eagles_View]

Oh boy oh boy...I finally get to contribute something to this site....

I love my guineas......I have a flock of 12. All are within 2 weeks of each other, bought in groups from different people so
I'd have no inbreeding problems....

No...a 6 foot fence will not keep them in. I live in a 2 and a half story home and my guineas will fly up and over the house. I have
called to them sense they were little keets as I fed them, saying, "here guinea guinea guinea"...and now, as 1 yr olds, I have only
to step outside and yell that and here they come to me....flying and gliding or running on their tippy toes....

The tic and bugs are no where to be seen on our property...mine free range up to a 3 acre area and have been known to go down
to the pond...you can always tell when something or someone is here...be it a dog, fox or vehicle....just last week, I saw my flock go
wacko on a fox..sent out the warning CHEEE CHEEE CHEEE sound and then chased it up the hillside, every time the fox would hunker down, they would jump on it and peck it all with that ear splitting sound...poor ol fox ran and stopped, got attcked again and this went on for about 4 times when he gave up and ran off.......

Mine follow around a barred rock also....I bet she gets tired of that.

I've yet to see them kill a snake, but that was one of the reasons for getting them...

Mine all roost with the chickens, going in at dusk just like the chickens...

I'm looking forward to spring to see if I can get any to go broody and hatch out another flock...if not, I'll buy up another group of 12.

You can also get the book, "Gardening with Guineas"........but, mine did eat the garden produce...they loved the tomatoes and peppers.

no......we won't eat my girls....just the eggs...which is a little smaller and white...most like a banty egg.

-Eagles View
NE MO.

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

Austinparrot, mine do NOT eat fire ants, or stink bugs. Just about every other kind of bug, though. But the only critter I've seen eat fire ants here is a horned lizard, and I can't get them to hang out very long.

 

[EggHunter_66]

We have 4 Guineas that we just love. This is our first time having them and I have to admit I was a little scared (but excitted) at getting them cause I have heard stories of how bad they can be. I had these 4 grow up with 2 turkeys and I think that worked out very well because they follow them were ever they go and the pretty much stay in our fenced in yard. The turkeys were easy to train to go in the coop at night and to also come when called SO if you want the guineas to go somewhere like the coop you call the turkeys...lol. They are loud but we live out in the country so that is no problem. They also live w/ chickens and a pig and everyone gets along.
I love to sit and watch the guineas, they are very funny!