Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
14
Guineas
GUINEA FOWL ARE TO THE POULTRY WORLD
what cats are to the pet world — you either
love them or you hate them. Hailing from the sub-Sahara region of Africa, no other
poultry species is quite like the guinea fowl, and raising these birds takes some patience.
Some days you'll find them to be the most annoying creatures on the face of the earth. In
fact, a great number of people never consider them a relaxing pastime, while others be-
lieve guineas are the perfect match for their situation. You'll either be able to tolerate and
appreciate their lifestyle, habits, and mannerisms or you'll put an ad in the next edition
of the local newspaper in an effort to quickly be rid of them. Believe me, there are times
when I ask myself why I live with these independent-thinking, strange birds. They have
more quirks than any species I've ever raised, but they are mostly a joy and a help to us
here on Sandhill Farm.
Beneficial Birds
Please don't get me wrong: I think anyone can appreciate guineas in their farmyard, as
they have a number of great qualities. Their noise — sometimes extremely irritating,
especially the females with a rabid, low-pitched
buckwheat
sound — can drive even
the sanest person to madness. Lest we forget, the males make a loud noise warning
everything in the barnyard every time there's something new around. But I appreciate
them for their watchdog abilities.
Natural Alarm System
I know that when I'm working in the garden or about the farm, if someone drives in the
driveway, gets out of their car, and starts walking toward the guineas' pens, they will set
up a fuss. Each situation results in a different noise, noises I can differentiate. I know how
the sound of their squabbling is different from their alarm. I walk among them often and
have discovered that once they recognize me as their owner they don't raise a fuss. Visit-
