How do I get rid of ticks ???

[dmccarty]

Here's photo of my Tick Pickers.
Attachment 291564
I never have to feed them. They get enough on our property and the fields around us. They do a pretty good job keeping the ticks down in the summer.

You have to raise them on the place for them to stay around. They return to their pen in the evening.

Two of my neighbors bought 70 or so Guineas and split the "flock" but allowed the birds to "free range." Flock A heard Flock B, or vice versa, and as a result, there was only one flock. The Flock only lasted a six months or so before they were all eaten by foxes, coyotes, owls and hawks.

Ticks are still here.

Guineas B Gone.

Later,
Dan

[Kyle241]

Guinea fowl are best. Chickens will also eat them. Note that any birds left to roam all day, all night will eventually succumb to predators though.

[toppop52]

I've never known a hawk to catch guineas, if they're in a flock as soon as they see a shadow or movement overhead they go into panic and the commotion normally scares the bejebus out of the hawk! We use to keep 15-20 to keep the hawks from the chickens.

[Biggreenavalanche]

I've never known a hawk to catch guineas, if they're in a flock as soon as they see a shadow or movement overhead they go into panic and the commotion normally scares the bejebus out of the hawk! We use to keep 15-20 to keep the hawks from the chickens.

as a side note I've also heard the guineas will either kill a snake or run it off...any of you guinea keepers ever witness that ?...sorry to highjack...

[sjerden]

Two of my neighbors bought 70 or so Guineas and split the "flock" but allowed the birds to "free range." Flock A heard Flock B, or vice versa, and as a result, there was only one flock. The Flock only lasted a six months or so before they were all eaten by foxes, coyotes, owls and hawks.

Ticks are still here.

Guineas B Gone.

Later,
Dan

I've lost about 8 since I got em, but at a buck-fifty a piece I couldn't pass them up. My dogs, one in particular are what's killing mine. I lock them up now at dusk. Right around dark is the only time it could catch one.

[dmccarty]

I've never known a hawk to catch guineas, if they're in a flock as soon as they see a shadow or movement overhead they go into panic and the commotion normally scares the bejebus out of the hawk! We use to keep 15-20 to keep the hawks from the chickens.

I have never saw the guineas getting eaten, I just found the pile of feathers all over my place. Some piles were near places I have found the remains of tree rats. The foxes would take their dinner back to the den so I figured the hawks and owls were leaving the feathers in other places. Given the plethora of predators at our place, I figured they all partook in the banquet provided by the guineas. We have seen hawks literally hanging off the side of the Chicken Tank trying to access the chickens. A really large hawk was sitting in a tree eye balling the flock's afternoon exercise period. No doubt in my mind that if the family and dog had not been near the chickens, one of them would have been dinner for he hawk.

Later,
Dan

[J35]

as a side note I've also heard the guineas will either kill a snake or run it off...any of you guinea keepers ever witness that ?...sorry to highjack...

You could not prove it by me, I have killed Black snakes in the guinea pen several times.

I killed a hawk as it was killing one of my guinea's on a cold Feb. day.

I have watched fox both Red and Grey try to kill my guinea's, the guinea's made fools out of them and eventually they left, I did kill one Grey because he would not leave.

---J

[Soundguy]

Guinea fowl are best. Chickens will also eat them. Note that any birds left to roam all day, all night will eventually succumb to predators though.

that's why you have your birds return to a coop at night.

mine do. automagically..