I'm getting a wild hair you know where!! Who has guinea fowl?? What can you tell me about them??

dreher

Many times I have considered getting some Guinea fowl but never got the job done.  I'm thinking of their  "watch dog" ability.   Mostly I'm looking for something new to play with.

I know they are noisy, shear death on bugs and will probably drive me nuts.  I have also been told they are really good eating.  My main question is will they stay out of my garden??  Also, if I pen them up for a couple of weeks when I get them and keep a feeder full Guinea food for them will they stick around or disappear on me to drive one of my neighbors nuts??    I ain't right!!       

NeoBlackdog

They will most certainly get in your garden but they'll also be eatin' every bug they can find while they're in there. 
They are one of the noisiest creatures God placed on his green Earth, but they are hella good watchdogs!

jimdeere

DO NOT park your car under the tree they roost in.

dreher

If they are eating bugs in the garden, that's a hell yes!!  If they are eating my tomatoes or peppers that's a "Look at the Guinea fowl in the oven!!  Isn't it browning up nicely??"

So do they leave the veggies alone if they are fed whatever Guinea's eat and only do bugs???  

mac10

good luck with bring some home and expecting them to stay the fly really good  but if you can manage to get them to stay  a breeding pair will give a clutch of 15 or more keets in a sitting... nobady will come in yard with out the banshy scream

BikerBob

Neighbor about a half mile away has some. Says they keep the ticks down along with the other bigger bugs.

Ditch-Runner

I think we had about a dozen several +  years ago different colors ?  but along the way  ( died for some reason or other ) were down to just the two   but we still  the chickens ducks geese and turkeys ( wife just bought about  twenty more chicks ( chickens ) after telling me not long ago she was not going to get nay more ,,ha ha I knew better.
 as for the guinea do make a ruckus if any one or thing strange or out of norm come close  I have heard a lot of people have them just a alarms  
  oh the eggs are a bit thicker shell than the chickens but taste the same . LOL  

Toolman286

I used to keep a dozen or so domestic geese. Great watch dogs, but are otherwise fairly quiet. They wandered a little, but only for a few hours. Only 2 problems. First, they'll chase anyone & the dominant male will attack. Second, you'll need a good mat to wipe your shoes at every door.

bustedknee

They don't seem to last long around here.  I blame the coyotes.

Chief Shaway

Toolman286 said:

I used to keep a dozen or so domestic geese. Great watch dogs, but are otherwise fairly quiet. They wandered a little, but only for a few hours. Only 2 problems. First, they'll chase anyone & the dominant male will attack. Second, you'll need a good mat to wipe your shoes at every door.

+100 on the shoes. 
I'd swear that they would run all the way from the pond to the sidewalk to take a dump. 

Sam06

Back in the 80's the NATO missile sites used Geese to guard the sites.  They used a flock of them and they wandered around the base between the inner and outer wire.  Better than dogs, you can take a few dogs out but what do you use to take out 50 geese?

 

kimi

Having sold magazines to rural folks in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas as a young lad, I never once got close to a dwelling that was home to Guinea Fowl without waking up the dead.

dunbarboyz

I know if one flies across the road meets the middle of an F150 grill you're out $260.45! And the the women that owned it will tell anyone that will listen. You murdered that bird on purpose.

Toolman286

FCD, I had one that nothing worked on. Heck, I'd meet him head on & drop kick him.  He came back like it was a game. He even attacked the lawn mower & went after cars. Yup, my house was safe.