# Guineas...Yay or Nay???



## WhiteFeatherFarms (Jun 29, 2017)

Hey All!
I posted a couple months ago about rats in my chicken coop...Well, we’ve killed a few, but they’re still here & making me CRAZY! I’ve heard people say that guineas might kill rats, but will likely keep them away even if they don’t kill them! The added bonus is that they eat ticks, which would be nice, but a negative would be that they are so territorial & loud (honestly though, it’s already loud around here, so, whatever on that)! Do any of you have experience good or bad? I’d like to hear it all!


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## shoafplantation (May 18, 2018)

We have guineas. They do put the hurt on ticks. They are roamers. You need a lot of space or your neighbors will hate you.


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## WhiteFeatherFarms (Jun 29, 2017)

shoafplantation said:


> We have guineas. They do put the hurt on ticks. They are roamers. You need a lot of space or your neighbors will hate you.


We're on 10 acres & no neighbors really, so that shouldn't be an issue. Is there a rule of thumb on how many you get? Is it ok to just have a few of them? Maybe 4 or 5? Do they eat chicken feed also?


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

We gave ours cracked corn occasionally. They mostly ignored the chickens and chicken feed and just ate bugs and whatever else they could scavenge. If you get both males and females, they will multiply fast. So be prepared lol


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

I let a broody hen raise about 15 of them a couple years ago, they were cute little fuzz balls then. Once they grew up.... I greatly disliked them, to put it nicely lol.

There was just never a moment of peace. It was just constant, their annoying high pitched cackles. Then they basically took over my hen house, chasing the chickens out (the chickens started sleeping outside, it got so bad). I just couldn't take it anymore, there were no nice evenings of just quiet and the occasional content goat/chicken sounds anymore.

There were no ticks that year though, I'll give them that. And they are rather pretty birds once you get past the horn thing lol.


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## Ashlynn (Oct 1, 2017)

I would say yay if you can handle the noise they are like fire alarms.


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## WhiteFeatherFarms (Jun 29, 2017)

I don’t know, I feel like they could help with ticks & whatnot, but I’m really not sure I want to deal with them. We live on a very peaceful 10 acres & I don’t think I want to disrupt that! Thanks all!


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## Ashlynn (Oct 1, 2017)

Do warn off robbers though lol they are like actual walking alarms I’m not kidding.


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## Ashlynn (Oct 1, 2017)

Maybe try to find another bird that is quieter and can eat the ticks.


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## WhiteFeatherFarms (Jun 29, 2017)

Any suggestions?


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

I'm not sure what it's like in your area, but adult guineas sell extremely well here. You could raise a few to give them a try and if doesn't work out, sell them. Or process them, if that's something you are ok doing (it's what we did, they were delicious).


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## Ashlynn (Oct 1, 2017)

I was researching to see if there were any particular chickens that ate more ticks and found that they are all similar. However it did say that if you give them lots of bugs and grass instead of starter and feed as chicks they will be more likely to eat more ticks.


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## ISmellLikeGoats (Oct 4, 2017)

I have 7 adult Guineas. I don't notice them being loud, they like the chicken feed and kind of pick on the chickens for it though. They always sell for a great price here so if I didn't like them, I could resell them, but so far I haven't had problems with them. Mine tend to want to roost in trees versus in the coop, except 1 and maybe that's because I raised it up with chickens. 
They are loud when they get going, but it's so far and few between it's not a nuisance or anything.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Those were probably the dumbest things I have ever had in my life! I got them because they were supposed to keep snakes away. Yeah still ended up with the occasional snake in the yard. They NEVER shut up! I let all the animals run wild and free. Those dumb things could fly but yet they were picked off before the chickens by coyotes. 
What about barn cats? I’m not a cat fan but we have a serious mice issue right now since I guess the people who normally dump cats on me either fixed their cats or they croaked so I went and picked up 3 cats


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## WhiteFeatherFarms (Jun 29, 2017)

Jessica84 said:


> Those were probably the dumbest things I have ever had in my life! I got them because they were supposed to keep snakes away. Yeah still ended up with the occasional snake in the yard. They NEVER shut up! I let all the animals run wild and free. Those dumb things could fly but yet they were picked off before the chickens by coyotes.
> What about barn cats? I'm not a cat fan but we have a serious mice issue right now since I guess the people who normally dump cats on me either fixed their cats or they croaked so I went and picked up 3 cats


I have 3 cats, they keep the rats kind of in one area, because they can't get to it, but they also don't like to go in the area near my LaManchas & I know there are some back there! I'm so frustrated trying to get rid of these things!!
Thanks everyone!


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

Personally, I LOVE guineas. Yep, they are pretty dumb and I was down to only one due to predators and LGDs...‍♀. But I miss the noise. I’ll be getting more when I can find some.


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## macmad (Mar 24, 2017)

We HAD guineas for about 8 months. They ended up harassing our chickens and peacocks terribly and we now consider them our worst animal purchase. My son said they tasted delicious. At the same time I took care of a nasty rooster. Came into the house and told the wife, "I am not mad at Cogburn anymore." She respond with, "Why?" I said, "I shot him." That one needed a pressure cooker.


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

macmad said:


> We HAD guineas for about 8 months. They ended up harassing our chickens and peacocks terribly and we now consider them our worst animal purchase. My son said they tasted delicious. At the same time I took care of a nasty rooster. Came into the house and told the wife, "I am not mad at Cogburn anymore." She respond with, "Why?" I said, "I shot him." That one needed a pressure cooker.


Hahahahaha! That is SO how it would go down in our home! Just casual conversation... oh i shot the roo today now what we havin for dinner. Hahahaaha!


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

So I was thinking of mice/ rats and remembered I use wolf pee to keep coyotes away so went to my pee place lol and looked at what could be used for rats. It's coyote pee 
https://www.predatorpeestore.com/cg...a7d&ss_parm=Ad778610c9fccdaa612745e4a9ee891e6
I have NOT used any pee for rats but I do swear by the wolf pee for coyotes so I thought worth mentioning


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## WhiteFeatherFarms (Jun 29, 2017)

Well...Today I found out that my local Bucheit has Guineas for sale, & I’m getting desperate!! They are like 4 weeks old. If I got 4 of them, would I put them in with my chickens until they get big enough to survive on their own & then just give them chicken feed? I need to train these things to kill mice &/or rats bc they’re making me crazy!! I also have to share that we have a ‘Rooster Cogburn’ too! We’ve got 3 mean roosters that have been evicted from the coop, Rooster Cogburn, Foghorn Leghorn & Cluck Norris-they’re all jerks & my hens are much happier with them on the outside LOL


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

WhiteFeatherFarms said:


> I also have to share that we have a 'Rooster Cogburn' too! We've got 3 mean roosters that have been evicted from the coop, Rooster Cogburn, Foghorn Leghorn & Cluck Norris-they're all jerks & my hens are much happier with them on the outside LOL


I have some really good chicken recipes..... :7up:


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## WhiteFeatherFarms (Jun 29, 2017)

Sfgwife said:


> I have some really good chicken recipes..... :7up:


I have looked up & watched videos on how to process chickens, it just seems like such a mess! I actually called several local butcher shops too to see if they process them, no luck!


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## MadCatX (Jan 16, 2018)

My old man told me one time they are awesome for trespassers. Apparently they go ballistic.


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## WhiteFeatherFarms (Jun 29, 2017)

Yea I’ve heard that, too! If we do get some it should be interesting since my 17 year old son always has friends over! Maybe they’ll get scared away LOL


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

WhiteFeatherFarms said:


> I have looked up & watched videos on how to process chickens, it just seems like such a mess! I actually called several local butcher shops too to see if they process them, no luck!


It isnt so horrible to process your own. Just time consuming. After a few you have it down pat and are good to go. You can post on fb local farm pages and cl for free Or a few bucks to home naughty roos. Just tell who is gettin them they are bad.


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