Guineas

Our farm is home to 11 adult guinea fowl. The birds free range on the pastures among the horses in the constant pursuit of ticks and other pests. As tick control, these birds can't be beat. We have noticed a significant reduction in the nasty pests since the flock went to work. The summer of 2008, when the birds were still young, we pulled 4 ticks off the horses. So far, in 2009, we have found 2 ticks on our horses during a period when everyone in our area is having a terrible time combating the little bloodsuckers. Guineas also help with controlling flies, Japanese Beetles and June Bugs by scratching in manure piles and eating the larvae. They love to chase the four-wheeler when we are dragging the pastures so they can get some tasty morsels.

Our pest control system involves several organic steps. We apply beneficial nematodes on the pasture areas in the spring to boost the number of pest predators that are natural residents in the soil. We also apply BTi crystals to help combat biting gnats, mosquitoes and some biting flies. And, we apply fly predators in the pastures and around the barns. The addition of the guinea fowl to this organic program has greatly reduced the number of pests that plague horses during the hot humid summers of Virginia.

Guineas are not for the faint of heart, however. The biggest complaint of guinea owners (and their neighbors) is the noise. They make a very reliable alarm system and will sound the alert when anything out of the ordinary occurs in their world. You can depend on a guinea to let you know if someone or something unfamiliar is lurking around your barn. Guineas are seasonal layers. We collect and incubate their eggs and have keets available for purchase twice during the summer. Please contact us if you are interested in learning how guinea fowl can benefit your farm or garden.

For more information on Guinea Fowl, we suggest the book "Gardening with Guineas" by Jeannette S. Ferguson. Or, go to Ms. Ferguson's website: www.guineafowl.com.