Guinea Fowl Update

Back in May of this year we added 9 guinea fowl keets to the Red Clay menagerie. The idea was that they would patrol the garden and property for insects and eliminate them. We were able to control the keets until they were about 5 weeks old. At that point, they were too large to keep in the brooder and it was getting warm outside so we moved them to their own place out behind the garage.

That arrangement didn't last very long. Soon after they moved outside they found a way to get out of their enclosure, which, at first, wasn't a problem. They hung out around the house most of the time and went inside to roost each night. But as time went by, they began exploring further and further away. First it was the front yard, then they were in the front pasture. One day I went to pick up the mail and found them on the far side of the highway foraging in the grass along the road as cars wizzed past. I figured they were gone for sure at that point. Every night they would find their way home but their numbers would dwindle each time we saw them. One morning we awoke to find a pile of feathers in the front yard. We never did figure out what got that one (I suspect Buddy the Farm Dog had a good meal that day).

And then one day there were just two left. These two must have been the smarter of the group because once it was just them, they decided to stick around the house and do their jobs. They have stayed in the area ever since and hang with the other chickens in the pasture.

They have proven to be very useful birds. I don't know how much of a dent 2 guineas can put in the insect population, but they do a great job of scratching up and spreading the horse manure which is good for reducing parasites and improving the soil quality. On top of that they are hilarious to watch. I'm pretty sure that these must be some of the dumbest birds on the planet and they provide hours of entertainment for the whole family.