Planning ahead!

[NHMountainMan]

So - I took the plunge and started my poultry adventure with chickens. Now I'm planning for next spring and thinking about Guineas.

We live in NH. I know that as long as they have some protection, they are cold hearty - so we can make that work.

NH has the highest per capita incidence of Lyme disease. Wife, and all three kids have had it. (I dodged it so far, but I use deep woods off (DEET) any time I'm outside. I've heard that guineas are prolific tick eaters. So -- I'm hoping that selling point can convince the Mrs.

I've heard they are noisy - (we live very rurally, and the only one that it could bug is us - unless they range more than 1/2 mile.)

Is it possible the get guineas used to my dog? - they are outside most of the day, and wander between the porch and chickens - but I don't want to end up having conflict between the dog and guineas.

So - are they really good at getting rid of ticks?
How far do they range?
And - can dogs and guineas co-exist.?

Thanks!

 

[R2elk]

So - I took the plunge and started my poultry adventure with chickens. Now I'm planning for next spring and thinking about Guineas.

We live in NH. I know that as long as they have some protection, they are cold hearty - so we can make that work.

NH has the highest per capita incidence of Lyme disease. Wife, and all three kids have had it. (I dodged it so far, but I use deep woods off (DEET) any time I'm outside. I've heard that guineas are prolific tick eaters. So -- I'm hoping that selling point can convince the Mrs.

I've heard they are noisy - (we live very rurally, and the only one that it could bug is us - unless they range more than 1/2 mile.)

Is it possible the get guineas used to my dog? - they are outside most of the day, and wander between the porch and chickens - but I don't want to end up having conflict between the dog and guineas.

So - are they really good at getting rid of ticks?
How far do they range?
And - can dogs and guineas co-exist.?

Thanks!

Guineas are really god at taking care of ticks. They cannot eat ticks that are not in the areas that the can freely get to.

One person lost their dogs to ticks because the guineas could not be in the dog kennel. They kept the ticks in control in the area they ranged in.

Whether or not they can coexist with your dog will depend on your dog. If the dog has a high prey drive and ever gets to taste a guinea, it will want to eat every guinea it can. My guineas were safe from my dog as long as they stayed out of the dog pen. In the dog pen they were dog food.

It can also depend on the guineas. One person I know still laughs when her guineas chase her little dog.

Guineas can be very noisy and then again they can also be quiet. I have had numerous people stop here when it isn't breeding season and comment on how quiet my guineas are.

Get a large group of guineas to start. Good luck.

 

[NHMountainMan]

Guineas are really god at taking care of ticks. They cannot eat ticks that are not in the areas that the can freely get to.

One person lost their dogs to ticks because the guineas could not be in the dog kennel. They kept the ticks in control in the area they ranged in.

Whether or not they can coexist with your dog will depend on your dog. If the dog has a high prey drive and ever gets to taste a guinea, it will want to eat every guinea it can. My guineas were safe from my dog as long as they stayed out of the dog pen. In the dog pen they were dog food.

It can also depend on the guineas. One person I know still laughs when her guineas chase her little dog.

Guineas can be very noisy and then again they can also be quiet. I have had numerous people stop here when it isn't breeding season and comment on how quiet my guineas are.

Get a large group of guineas to start. Good luck.

The tick problem in NH has gotten so bad it's having a devastating impact on moose populations. Moose calf mortality is skyrocketing due to ticks drinking enough blood to cause anemia.

What do you consider a large group??

True that they'll eat snakes? That could be the big selling point for the Mrs. She hates snakes.

 

[R2elk]

The tick problem in NH has gotten so bad it's having a devastating impact on moose populations. Moose calf mortality is skyrocketing due to ticks drinking enough blood to cause anemia.

What do you consider a large group??

True that they'll eat snakes? That could be the big selling point for the Mrs. She hates snakes.

I never recommend having fewer than 10, more is even better. You will lose some to predators especially if you don't keep them in a secure coop at night.

Some people claim they eat snakes. I have never seen mine eat a snake but did one time find a guinea circle as they danced around a snake. They will eat most small critters including mice and voles along with pretty much anything that moves except for woolly worm caterpillars.

Good luck.