whats the point of getting a Guinea?

[savilcr]

whats the point of having one?

 

[GableBabble]

Well people will give you different reasons for liking them. Around here the biggest reason for getting them is bugs. That was the first reason we got our first ones a few years ago. Just no one told us that adults cannot be added into your farm the day you buy them and not run off into the sunset never to be seen again....lol
Our reasons for having them:
They are funny, comical birds who we enjoy watching.
AT TIMES we enjoy the noise they make.
They keep our garden free from bugs without having to sevin our tomatos.
They let us know when something is not right outside and we should be aware.
Our older ones we had would chase cats, that they did not know, as a flock away from the babies.
We happen to think they are pretty. (we are wierd I know

)

 

[savilcr]

so they assist with bugs for your garden? i might have to go pick one up tomorrow then.

 

[dadof4]

Do you mean one or any at all?

 

[SuperPeacockman]

Pick up more than one they are flock birds, 6 or more is my advice. They kill ticks like crazy!

 

[jcatblum]

I have 4 dogs & think I have found 2 ticks on them this yr. Before guineas I would get more than 2 ticks a week off of myself. I don't miss the ticks @ all!!!!

My area is full of grasshoppers - they do eat the grasshoppers- however I think I need more guineas to help thin down the hoppers. Plan on keeping some of the keets I hatched just for grasshopper control.

--- when I say loads of grasshoppers-- I am talking I get pelted with them as I walk to the barn- and those darn things can hurt!

 

[GableBabble]

Here is the skinny on the garden thing. If you have a small garden I am not sure I's advise them being allowed free range in it. Our garden is the size of a double wide trailer. We have about 4 long rows of each item we want to grow. We grow to fill the freezer and the canning shelves then sell what is left. We also do not care if one here or there gets taken out by Guinea's. They will help themselves to the watermelon as payment for a mostly totally bugfree garden. I really think hubbie plants the watermelon just for them. He does add a couple tommytoe tomatos every year that they are "allowed" to eat. These are treats for the chickens and ducks as well.

 

[Okie Amazon]

Quote:
There is a guy that frequents the flea market here that reputedly has sold the same guineas repeatedly! They are a lot like homing pigeons! I would keep adults penned up for at least 2-3 months, maybe longer. We got ours as half-grown keets and only kept them penned a few weeks.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Gosh, I am lucky that I had a grown one just show up and decide to live here. So I got him a mate and she was penned for a week before I let her out. She did try to take him off but he is persistent about coming back here and she finally gave up trying to leave and has stayed with him.
He must have been let loose from someone that had just bought him.

He was very fat when he came here to live and now is much slimmer because he free ranges. I hope they hatch some out next spring so I can catch them up and raise them for a bigger flock. I have heard Guineas are not such great mothers.

It is best to raise them from keets to get them to stay but I have heard they still may wander away. I have some growing up now but plan to pen them for eggs and to hatch more out next year. They are lavender and I am pretty sure they would not survive in the woods and pastures being so light colored.

 

[MysticalMom]

Why get guineas? Oh I can think of many reasons... They're unusual and beautiful and will sound an alarm to let you know when somethings wrong or someone is coming, but I love them mostly because they're tick eating fools!

I am a first time guinea owner... but I just love them!