Types of Guineas

[BaileyJean]

We are wanting to get some guineas this year. We have had guineas in the past and some of them were great, but some were not so great. We have had some that would stay out in the woods eating all the bugs and snakes. The next year we got some more and they would not eat bugs and kill snakes like the others, they just stayed by the house ( they even roosted on the roof of our house!). I understand there is an older type of guinea and a newer type, how do I know what type I am getting. Would it be better for me to buy chicks or older birds? How should we raise them to encourage them to stay out in the woods?
Thanks

 

[PeepsCA]

I'm not sure what you mean, older type or newer type... The French and Jumbos are bigger varieties of Guinea Fowl (developed for meat birds), and I guess could be considered newer

As far as how to get them to take to the woods, I suggest you build their coop/pen as close to the area you want them to free range as you possibly can. And don't encourage them to hang around the house and yard at all by having feeders or dust bathing areas anywhere close.

 

[BaileyJean]

What I meant by older and newer type, I thought that there was just an old-fashioned guinea? Is there a type of guinea that you would recommend?

 

[PeepsCA]

The Helmeted Guinea Fowl are all basically the same, just the colors and amounts of pearling varies, (or the size, in the case of the French and Jumbos). The other types of Guinea Fowl (Crested and Vulturines) are so expensive and typically need supplemental heat, that most people don't have flocks of them for tick/pest control.

The darker colors of Guineas like Pearl Grey and Royal Purple seem to fair a little better against predator attacks for some people that use them specifically for free ranging. Some say the lighter colors are less hearty, but I don't see that in my flocks. And one color is just as efficient at pest control as the next is, as long as they aren't picked off by predators.

Hope that helps.

 

[BaileyJean]

Ok, Thanks for you help!