Why do people raise guineas?

[joebryant]

Do people eat guinea eggs?
" " " guineas?
Are they mainly for warning signals.
Do they live in coops.
Do they come in different colors.

 

[conroy]

After my neighbor's wife died his daughter bough them for him to keep him company. They would be a great alarm system too I guess.

 

[the1much]

i get mine for the bug control during the summer ,, and to sell the babies,,,, and come winter time,, i eat them

i dont have to worry bout them getting old nuff to start laying,, i buy a day old from a lady near me,, then resell,, and try to keep a dozen for myself,,,,,,, we only kept 11 this year,, but as of yesterday,, their in my freezer

 

[Marlinchaser]

Bug control, they eat ticks, and anything else that they can catch.

No ticks on 3 dogs in last 2 years (except when they decide to go through the woods and visit the neighbours) then they come home with ticks, so I know that there are ticks out there, just not in my yard.

I have eaten thier eggs, I sent a lot of eggs to BYCers that wanted guineas, and hatched quite a few out myself and sold them.

Havent eaten any YET, but that may come to an end soon, Some that I sold did become dinner, which is what that person got them from, and they want to raise more next year, so I guess I will hatch more when they start laying again.

The security alarm is just a bonus, and they alert the chickens/anyone within ear shot anytime anything is out of the ordanary stray dog, hawk,or the fact that I have on a hat etc....... gotta take the good with the bad.

 

[kinnip]

Don't forget...they're hilarious. They're about as stupid as a living thing can be and still remember to eat.

 

[the1much]

and their like a mobile car cleaning kit,, lol,,, park your car in the yard,, they run over,, and clean all the bugs off the grill

oh,, and they make great toenail marks in cars they land and skid across,, almost as good as a peacock

 

[conroy]

 

[SewingDiva]

Quote:
Joe you read my mind, I've wondering these exact same things. And most especially: do they live in coops?

Phyllis

 

[kinnip]

Mine have a coop. They put themselves to bed a little later than the chickens, and sometimes one or two decide to spend the night on the deck.

 

[Cara]

1. Some people probably do, we don't.
2. Guineas are a delicacy, but my husband hates them and refuses to eat them. They're very popular on the continent though.
3. Yes and no. They harass and often kill snakes, which is why we have them. We have rattlesnakes coming out of our ears. They're a good warning signal to us and other animals too. After a while the others tune in to the guinea alerts!
4. They can, but they're pretty mean to other birds. I have two that do, so that I have a backup plan if the free ranging ones get killed.
5. Yes they come in many different colours.

ETA They get accustomed to certain people. Mine don't make much noise when I go in the coop, but if my husband does they make a racket and fly at his head. I really shouldn't laugh. I shouldn't laugh at the gander that tries to bite his butt either.