Are Guineas my best bet if my land is overrun with ticks? I know that my chicks will help decrease the tick population a little once they are big enough to go out in their coop/run/free range but am really tired of the ticks. Last year I sprayed the yard surrounding the house, have 5 acres total, and went from getting 2-4 ticks on each of my dogs AND my self every time we walked on the sidewalk, even for a very short amount of time, to maybe 1 tick every time we went out/every other time. Both my girls have on flea/tick prevention, have even gotten them preventic collars to go with their frontline/advantage/advantix whatever they have on at the given time but still, working at the vet I think ticks are probably on my top 5 nastiest species list. Would it be a good idea to get guineas and let them run the property and provide them some kind out housing/protection so that they can get away from predators or does anyone else have any suggestions? I don't want to spray since I have chickens this year even though it will probably be another 2, 3 weeks before the babies are moved outside. Thanks in advance for any replies!!
I definitely would say that guineas are a great idea. They are grade A excellent tick eaters. Guineas are available now. We have the Pearl Variety of keets available March through June.
Guineas will definitely help and they do eat quite a bit more bugs then chickens. Definitely keep using the tick prevention on yourself and dogs though. I have had over 20 guineas and 30 plus chickens on 3 plus acres and still had plenty of ticks. Two of my dogs got tick borne diseases as well as myself even with the birds and Frontline every 28 days.
Guineas are wonderful tick control. The first year we lived hear my doxie was chasing rabbits in the trees. She was only in there for maybe 20 min and came out with 36 ticks crawling on her. I got guineas! The next year, she goes in the trees and comes out with 2-3 ticks. If you have that much acreage, I would definately suggest getting guineas. You can house your guinea & chickens together or build them a similar coop for shelter. In the warmer months they will roost high in the trees. In the winter they will need an enclosure. Some people just let the roost in the barns, but it gets too cold to do that in ND. Chickens will also reduce the tick population if they are allowed to free range
I love my guineas, not only for the ticks they eat but they make great watch dogs, they roost in a large cedar tree behind our house and even in the snow they stayed in the tree to roost rather than go in the barn. but let something unfamiliar come around and boy do they make a noise DH hates the sound they make but I like it Marrie
I bought 5 Guineas this past summer for 30.00, they lasted about 3 days. they roosted in the lower part of a small tree, and a fox killed them and took them to her den. I tried two seperate times to keep them but we have too many foxes and coyotes.
When we moved here ten years ago we had a terrible tick and flea problem Nothing worked. My brother was in the Air Force stationed in Panama at the time and told me they used boric acid for bugs there. I figured anything that could help. I got online and ordered some and seeded my front and side yard with it. Since that time I have not had to use any flea or tick protection on my dogs. As long as they stay in the yard they don't get them. I tried recently to find the site online but was unable. Maybe you can find it It really works.
