Will guineas eat my new flower beds?

[happyhour4pm]

My first post here.
The house we bought last fall has a great set up for chickens.
A friend told me about guineas and how great they could be if you start the babies inside and handle them a lot. She said they would eat bugs and would follow you around the yard and tell you if there were snakes, etc. I could not wait!!!

We now have the house and yard brought back to order. We got the dogs a fenced in yard so they would not chase my birds.
I spent the spring and summer putting in beautiful flower beds around the house.
Now finally we got to start working in the coop and started cleaning and making repairs in preparation for when I find my keets that I will soon be ready for.
I found this website and have been reading everything I can absorb. Everybody here has so much information to share and are animal lovers like myself.
Sorry to be so wordy, my guestion is and will guineas eat all of my new flowers I worked so hard to put in? ?????

I do not mind if they scratch around in the flower beds but are they going to eat plants and up root and destroy in search of bugs????
We have 2 acres here., there are lots of barns and fun stuff for them to explore. The coop where they will hopefully live in is out of sight from the house. It is tucked in behind the big barn. I have read here that they like to keep the coop in sight and I am thinking they may not come up to the house?
What do you all think??
If I have to keep them pinned all the time I will just get a few chickens to keep for eggs and forget about the guineas

Looking forward to your words of wisdom.
Thanks, Amy

 

[leonphelps]

no way to know. only time will tell.

 

[appychick]

This is my first season with guineas & they didn't seem to do much damage to my plants,but they have unlimited space. A couple times one snuck into the garden when I left the gate open and mainly walked around looking at everything. The only thing it did was pick off a couple bright red cherry peppers but never ate them. I was totally amazed as watched them catch & eat 2 mice a couple days ago. They just swallowed them whole,head first just like snakes do......If they have some tall grass or bushes to hide in,they shouldn't bother your flowers. The only time mine bother my stuff is when I am repotting or something like that & they decide to help.....

 

[taprock]

Mine wander through the garden and flower bed and only eat bugs. I'm sure if they find out they are good they might. Just chase them out or give them another spot where they get treats and they should be ok.

 

[happyhour4pm]

I was so glad to see some replies this morning and they are all music to my ears. Thanks so much.

 

[amberflea]

The first year they left my plants alone next to the coop, this year they ate all my hostas off and pecked at some of my ferns, tiger lilies and other flowers as they were coming up... they don't scratch much at all, not like chickens, so at least you don't need to worry about that part

 

[southern oaks]

Quote:

 

[Nava]

Welcome !!!!!

neighbor

i had guineas before, and have little knowledge, but mine did not eat my flowers, they are good watch dogs, they will tell you if something strange has come into their territory *yard* mine were not handled much so they kept to their own.

I had to let them go when they started all teaming up against my chickens, don't know if this is normal but mine did.

even my roosters were no match for them, they are tough !!!!

but good watch dogs and bug eaters.