An exotic and perhaps odd-looking breed of poultry,
the Guinea Fowl, is fast becoming not just the friend of the poultry
farmer, but a friend of the avid gardener as well. These solid colored
birds, weighing in at no more than 4 ½ pounds apiece, hail from the
Sub-Saharan regions of West Africa. The domestic, modern stock has
originated from the wild breed of Guinea Fowl (‘nuneda meagris’),
found as far south as the Eastern Cape Horn Regions of W. Africa. These
domesticated fowl are found now in every region of the world.
These unusual birds are quite interesting in that
their increasing role on the farm has taken on many purposes in today’s
diversified livestock community. In addition to egg- laying and breeding
stock production, one of the foremost uses for these animals today is for
pest and rodent control. Guinea fowl, both male and female, are
particularly adept at rooting out vermin such as mice and rats, and are
even known to chase down and kill snakes. As well as keeping pests out of
their environment, Guinea Fowl have been incredibly successful at ridding
forested properties/farms of many types of bugs, particularly the deadly
Deer Tick, which can carry Lyme Disease resulting in paralysis and death
amongst other forms of livestock. This purpose in particular, has given
the Guinea Fowl a widespread and excellent reputation, allowing the breed
to rise above its former meat production-only function. Although raised
for meat and considered a delicacy in Europe, the Guinea Fowl seems to,
through their display of intelligence and multifunction, have risen above
the stature of ‘meat-bird’.
These normally docile but alert
birds have a surprisingly acute awareness of predators within their
habitats, and will alert the farmer to any henhouse intrusion, day or
night. A distinct and rather operatic call will be sounded upon any
strange intrusion. Many Guinea Fowl breeders will attest to their
“watchdogs’” ability of being able to distinguish between family members
and strange and unfamiliar faces.
Guinea Fowl have been used for
both pest control and as farm ‘watchdogs’ for decades now, and one of
their relatively newer uses has been to the gardener and small crop
grower. Guinea Fowl have proven most successful in organically controlling
pests by eating most bugs in the garden, while leaving the green foliage
virtually untouched. This has garnered the Guinea Fowl not just the praise
and welcome of the farmer, but that of the gardener as well. Slugs, bugs,
and other thugs are their specialty and Guinea Fowl have demonstrated once
again, their versatility and ability to earn a reputation of wonderful
uses.
Guinea Fowl can be kept either free-ranged, or
free-run in the company of other poultry. They will
usually group together
if more than one of them are kept, even in a henhouse/run situation.
Females often select their mate and then remain steadfast companions until
death or separation. Males tend to be more vocal than females, making a
sound that is described as the world “buckwheat”. Both the male and female
are very similar in stature, and distinction. The only difference lies in
the male possessing a slightly larger red appendage on his head; at first
sight, males and females are difficult to distinguish apart from one
another.
Guinea Fowl today come in a
variety of colors, and Guinea Fowl breeders and enthusiasts are always
breeding and looking for the newest genetic colorations. Their plumage is
almost solid in color, with fine dappling of white or cream specks.
Variations in overall color range from browns, blues, violets, creams,
whites, grays and charcoals.
Chicks are called “keets” and can be hatched as
with other fowl, by a reliable incubator, by Bantam mothe,r or a sitting
hen of another variety. Their eggs are small, like the Bantam variety, and
are hatched out in the standard 28-day cycle akin to other chickens. The
suggested grower feed for the little keets is a medicated Pheasant/Turkey
starter, and precautionary care with regard to warmth, drafts, and a dry
environment as with other young birds is imperative. Keets display
themselves as very alert and hardy and seem to develop independence much
more quickly than other chicks.
If you are interested in keeping
something a bit different in the coop, & would like to eradicate the
possibility of ticks and other harmful pests in the farmyard or garden,
perhaps a pair of Guinea Fowl would be a successful addition to your own
spread. Guinea Fowl will certainly be a conversational addition to any
farm, and with their many successful uses around a country acreage, should
result in being a hard-working member of the farm operation team.
