Why do people raise guineas?

[SterlingAcres]

I've got 6 myself. 2 definite hens, so I think the remaining 4 are males. They're housed with my chickens but they've started harassing them pretty bad. The cockbirds beat the tar out of my roosters, so I'm going to weed out 3 of the boys. I've tried to sell them, but no one around here seems to want them. They'll end up on the Christmas Brunch table this year.
If the hens make it to laying age, then I'll hatch some more out. And yeah, mine are loud. L-O-U-D. My neighbor must love me. LOL

 

[seedcorn]

When I had them

loved:
their looks & look of them free roaming
bug eating
taste-loved eating them and very easy to dress

hated:
noisy
always laid their eggs on hill side, then went broody
wild animals always seem to get them right before they hatched.
bossy over chickens
roosted on porch, crapping there
did I mention noisy?

 

[greathorse]

I keep guinea because I like having them around. They coop with my chickens. They started there and stay there with them. I brought in some 8 week old ones and kept them in the coop for a couple of days and they have gone in with them since.

They chase my roosters around a little but only when they are out and about in the coop they get along fine.

They are delicious to eat. I butcherd 15 of the french guinea this fall and they are great. The French guinea are much larger than the standard. guinea. I here not as fertile but mine have not laid so I dont know.

They are dumb as rocks and quite wild. The Keets in particular are very willd. If they get out they are gone.


I hope mine start laying next year but I know that has its own issues.

try them you might like them\\

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
Have you noticed a signifigant drop in ticks in the yard? When I first got mine, I found ticks on the dogs and they would ignore them, but since I have had mine I have found no more ticks in the yard. So something must be eating them, then again maybe ticks have sesitive ears and have left on thier own to quiter yards.

 

[SewingDiva]

This ithread s so interesting... I would not mind no worries about ticks and fewer Japanese beetles eating my veggies!

Do guinea's need a lot of space to range? We have only 3/4 of an acre in a densly populated suburb of Boston, and I wonder if guinea's need lots of space.

As for noise - are they noisy like roosters? We're zoned for chickens but no roosters are allowed.

Phyllis

 

[the1much]

Quote:
they'll go wherever they want to,, mine had an acre to roam,, but went 1/2 mile away sometimes,,,,,,, and YES, they are almost always VERY noisy.

 

[Birch Run Farm]

They are extremely noisy and very loud. They make sounds almost non stop and I believe the females are much more vocal than the males.

I had a pair but they were becoming aggressive to the chickens so they got rehomed. Neat birds though, someday if I have a way of putting up more pens I would do them again but probably to raise and put in the freezer.

 

[PortageGirl]

Their call IS loud, but most of all it is seemingly incessant. They seem to have a very penetrating tone, and that it just doesn’t STOP! (ok, it can and does stop, but it starts again with little provocation) A lady I know has them and she simply doesn’t hear them so it doesn’t bother her. She has it tuned right out no problem, but her neighbors sure hear it, so keeping them in town may be a bigger issue than a rooster!

 

[cackleberries]

Guineas are wonderful watch dogs they let me know the second something is around my flock of Free Range Hens.
They put themselves in the coop at night and are the first out in the morning except when its cold they generally stay in.
I havent had a Copperhead or anyother snake in my yard since I got them. Ticks or other insects are extinct in my yard (course with 70 + birds it would be dinner menu for sure)

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Quote:
Please tell me more about the "french guineas" I have seen some guinea fowl that are larger than the rest, but did not know there is a seperate breed !!

My guineas are all about the size of a leghorn hen, but none of them are over 6 months old.

I love my guineas, they are not however too good with the cold, cold weather. It is about 10 degrees here today. I noticed no one is down at the house, they are all in the barn !!