Ok Guinea lovers, help me look on the bright side?

[CrazyChickensEverwhere]

I went to the feedstore to get some feed, and my father wanted to get 2 guinea Please tell me the pros and cons of them. I bet I have a lot of work ahead of me, dont I?
Well im going to go do some research on guineas and read "guinea 101"

 

[PeepsCA]

Pros:
They are great for tick, spider/bug and snake control (to me that is PRICELESS)
If they are allowed to free range they will forage seeds, weeds and bugs off your land for their main food source and consume minimal commercial poultry feeds
They are excellent watchdogs (they will let you and your other livestock know if predators, strangers and neighborhood animals are on your land)
Their antics and quirky personalities are comical at times which makes them fun to own
Their eggs are delicious & nutritious, and if you are up for it Guinea fowl meat is considered a delicacy
When they reproduce, the keets are adorable
Their feathers are beautiful and often used for arts and crafts

Cons:
You usually need more than 2 to have happy Guineas
They can be noisy... and most are, so they may annoy you and especially your neighbors
They tend to roam if they are not trained to stick around, again that may annoy your neighbors
They may want to roost in the trees instead of a coop (and get eaten by predators)
They are wild by nature and not easily trained and tamed like chickens can be
The Hens like to hide their nests rather than lay in nesting boxes in the coop
They have a reputation of not getting along with other poultry, especially during breeding season


I'm sure others will add more

 

[CrazyChickensEverwhere]

wow. Hmm well, My cousin got 2 guinea "keets?" today she lives about 400 yards away, So I can see our guineas teaming up together as a flock.

 

[BAMACK2]

Yes that is what is going to happen so some will not have guineas which ever house they like but hey that mean they have more land to cover

 

[melroseladi]

Con: Gray hair you get worrying about your crazy birds.

 

[Blondie]

The pros out weigh the cons. I love our guineas, they have such a great personality. Get them!

 

[cracking up]

I really enjoy mine, I don't think of them as pets but if they get over the fence I risk life and limb to get them to fly back. An upper-middle aged woman running back and forth yelling 'fly you stupid @*$' after climbing a six foot fence. Neighbors on both sides are real nice and they offer to help if they're around (I must look pretty pathetic). If I think they're worth that I must like them?????

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote:
LOL yep! I forgot that one.

 

[PeepsCA]

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I totally agree, I will NEVER live somewhere I can't have a flock of Guineas!

 

[Cadillac Jill]

Quote:
The guinea response to fencing has been a fascinating aspect of our experience thus far. Having guineas on both sides of any given fence is a sight to behold. Neither group knows whether they're trapped IN or trapped OUT, but they pace back and forth squawking incessantly until there's resolution--even if it takes hours. We've gone through this with 6' privacy fencing, 6' chain link, 4' garden fencing, and a 2' high puppy run. In each instance, these uncatchable rulers of the air have completely forgotten that they can FLY. Wanna feel like a nut? Try to coerce them into flying OVER the fence. Just make sure each arm is wildly waving a tree branch, and then scream like a banshee. It might work if you keep at it long enough.

I don't know much about guineas, but I do have one recommendation: If you want to ensure poultry peace on the planet, get enough so they can form their own society. Otherwise, they may turn on your chickens when you least expect it.