Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Keep in mind that guinea fowl are not discriminating and will eat ladybugs and other
beneficial insects, but their voracious appetite for pests will be a distinct advantage any-
where.
Snake Charmers?
Long before I got my first guineas I had heard that these birds keep snakes, rats, mice,
and other predators away from a farmer's flock, and after my years of experience with
these birds I can say that this is true — at least in part. They do not keep mice or rats
away from my farm, but snakes do not like them. However, they may not be quite the
fierce exterminators you might believe them to be.
I have seen adult guineas capture young mice out of the nest and consume them rap-
idly; however, I've never seen a guinea catch an adult mouse, nor have I ever seen them
have anything to do with rats other than a nest full of babies. I can safely say that guineas
will not keep rats out of the building. Even with a great flock of guineas in a building,
you'll have rat problems. They don't seem to be the least bit afraid of guineas.
As a child growing up out west, my family had rattlesnake problems. We had them
everywhere
, and it was tough gardening or even walking in the yard. I can vouch for the
fact that guineas do go after snakes. Many times a day I would look up from the garden
and see my guineas on the hillside making a big fuss. Whenever I strode up near them
to investigate the cause of the racket, I'd see them surrounding a snake.
Whether snakes are frightened by the raucous birds and exit the area or the guineas
kill and eat the snake is question I can't answer. But there is no doubt in my mind that
a large group of guineas flying and attacking cause enough commotion to deter snakes
and adult mice from setting up shop in your area.
The First Few Weeks
Once you've made up your mind that you are going to raise guineas, it's best to acquaint
yourself with a few of their quirks so that your first encounters with them will be pos-
itive experiences. Along with turkey poults, keets (baby guineas) are the most difficult
of the babies to raise. For example, unlike other poultry chicks, once their legs go out
from under them, guineas never recover to their normal stance and you end up having to
dispose of them.
It is always best to start with keets between two and three days old. When you open
up the box, you're going to think you have a bunch of crickets with all the hopping and
squirming that's going on in there. If they have endured a prolonged shipping period,
they may be stressed. They may be chilled or display symptoms of lethargy and weak-
ness. If they're very cold and they're not moving when you receive them, they need to
