Plague of the locusts

[jonyyuma]

Our neighbor down in Navarro County had a half dozen or so Guineas when we bought our place. I think it was about 2 months before predators got the last one. Then a couple of years later, they decided to get another half dozen, and that time they didn't even last a month.

Myself, I did not know that guineas were that hard to keep.? I do know they love to eat ticks, which is why i wanted them..I have watched some of them in a line as they walk and eat bugs..

 

[Bird]

Myself, I did not know that guineas were that hard to keep.? I do know they love to eat ticks, which is why i wanted them..I have watched some of them in a line as they walk and eat bugs..

I'm sure it just depends on how many predators you have in the area. We had lots of coyotes, along with a few raccoons, oppossums, hawks, etc.

 

[Alan L.]

Guineas will roost in your trees (if you have them). You can spot thier favorite tree by all the poop on the ground around it. I think owls are their biggest menace since coyotes can't climb trees. Kathy had guineas once and the slowly disappeared over time until she had none. The owls showed up at her place for the buffet, but our woods is a lot more dense than yours, I believe.

We do have a grove of maybe 10 acres of mostly cedar elm trees, along the banks of the creek. Do guineas fly at all, I have cut off the bottom limbs on any trees near the house so its maybe 10 feet or so up there to the bottom limbs. I guess the other thing is, how do the guineas know they live there? Seems like the neighbors land would look just as good to them as ours?

 

[Bird]

We do have a grove of maybe 10 acres of mostly cedar elm trees, along the banks of the creek. Do guineas fly at all, I have cut off the bottom limbs on any trees near the house so its maybe 10 feet or so up there to the bottom limbs. I guess the other thing is, how do the guineas know they live there? Seems like the neighbors land would look just as good to them as ours?

I think you have to keep them penned up for a few days so they learn that is where the food and water are.

 

[jinman]

I think you have to keep them penned up for a few days so they learn that is where the food and water are.

+1 - Your roost will need to have a high shelf for the guineas. They like to roost up high. After they have been acclimated to the roost, they should return to it safely each night for food/water.

BTW: Chickens also love grasshoppers, but I think chickens are more prone to peck your veggies too. Whether guineas or chickens, I'd make sure I never fed them any vegetable scraps so they don't develop a taste. As a kid, we used to feed chickens watermelon rinds and vegetable peels. They were probably getting more of the vitamins than we were, but if they ever got out of their pens, they'd also do some garden damage. . . though minor. I used to love to catch big grasshoppers and hold them through the chicken pen fence. Every chicken in sight would race over to get the tasty treat.