guineas and ticks

[krpig]

i'm wanting to get some guineas to help w/ tick infestation. two questions (well maybe three).
1.how many guinea do i need? the area i wantto use them in is approx. 3 acres (have 10 acres total.
2. how do i keep them inside the desired area?
3. do i need pens, and if so, any ideas on construction?
i would like to eventually allow them to be free-range, but still stay on my property.
4. would i likely have more success w/ grown hens/roosters rather than chicks?
thanks in advance for all replies and help

 

[Boondox]

The good news is they're very effective at bug control and leave the garden veggies alone. Bad news (1) they're VERY loud and go off on every "intruder," yourself and family included, (2) never seen them successfully kept anywhere they didn't want to be, (3) think large poultry; if you don't make something to their liking they'll cheerfully take over your garage, shed, etc and crap all over everything (4) around here it's hard to find grown birds since to catch them you've gotta shoot them. Unfortunately, the big hatcheries sell keats only in large quantities. I believe McMurray has a minimum of 30 keats. That's a LOT of guinea crap!

Best advice I could give is to find someone with a few keats and buy a few to see if they grow on you. If not, you only have a few to eat. Oh, did I say all dark meat?

Pete

 

[Taz]

I concur with Pete. To your question on keeping them around and housing; I let them free range and they came back to roost in the barn every night. Guinnea's are known to roost in trees but they never did for me. They never wandered very far from the barn, maybe 100 yards. Housing requirements are similar to chickens. Cold doesn't bother them but let them get out of the wind.

I found them to be a little too uptight for my liking but I guess that's why they have the reputation of being good watchdogs. They yap about everything. Drove me nuts. I started with a half dozen and had a party when the last one dissapeared.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Our don't seem too noisy. However I think they evolved to make chickens feel intelligent. I got them at the same time as some ducks and unfotunately when the ducks started to swim the Guineas figured they would as well which wiped out 4 of them v.quickly. Another one got facing into a corner and could not figure out where reverse was and met it's demise.

Seem to get on fine but never move that far from the house.