9 Reasons You Need Guinea Fowl

Guinea Fowl

Guinea Fowl are pretty interesting birds. Unlike chickens, who are domesticated, guineas are still considered a wild bird. Not only do they look funny as adults, they behave kind of funny too. They are noisy, which can be annoying. They can fly – so they aren’t contained with fencing. And without training, you’ll have a hard time getting them into a coop at night.

Richard and I once had a guinea hen who perched herself in a tree right before a snow storm. She refused to fly down and land in the snow, so she squawked up there for 2 days through wind and sleet. We finally coaxed her down by laying out tarps, hay, and lots of food. So why on Earth would you want to deal with these silly stubborn birds??

Why Do I Want Them?

While they have their annoyances, guineas are actually super beneficial to your homestead, and great to have around.

Eggs

Guineas lay eggs that are very similar to chicken eggs. They are a bit smaller, have speckles, and are a bit more pointed looking like a conehead in my opinion. They have a distinct laying season, so you won’t get any eggs through the winter, but they are a nice addition to your summer omelette.

Diet

Guineas eat a diet of primarily BUGS. They are awesome at getting their beaks on any pest they can find, but they do it without scratching and destroying your plants like a chicken. They also eat more bugs than chickens do since chickens have a more diverse diet. Since they are so active, they need the added protein from the bugs. This also means that in the warmer months they are pretty cost effective to keep.

Natural Pest Control

Because of their awesome bug hunting skills, they are EXCELLENT at keeping ticks under control on your property, and keeping bugs out of your veggie garden. They just love to scurry around the pumpkin patch cleaning up all the squash beetles that threaten our crop. They are a wonderful safe alternative to chemical pesticides. I love this article from I Am Countryside about gardening with guinea fowl.

Part of the Flock

When raised with the chickens, they fit in with the flock fairly well. You have to train them to sleep in the coop, but if you do, they should return every night with your chickens. And they get along just fine.

They Sound The Alarm

They act as a watch dog for your farm, sounding the alarm at any sign of danger. When you hear it, you’ll know exactly what I mean. Guineas are LOUD. It helps you to know when danger is near.

They Protect Your Chickens

Their squawking alerts your free range chickens to run for cover. They will let them know when the neighbors dog is close, a hawk is circling overhead, or a pesky raccoon is lurking nearby. When raised with chickens, they have a level of respect for them as well, and will keep an eye out for your whole flock, letting them know when they need to take cover.

Loyal

Guineas are monogamous. How cute is that!? Unlike a chicken who will mate with the entire flock, guineas choose their partner and mate for life. I’ve seen pairs of threes, but typically no more than that. They have a sense of loyalty to each other, and will protect each other and their flock.

Low Maintenance

Compared to some other birds, guineas are pretty low maintenance. They are able to handle much more freedom – which is great because fences can’t contain them since they fly. Their ability to do so though helps them stay safer from predators, as well as their squawking often is enough to scare them away. I also love that I don’t have to limit their time in my gardens, because they don’t damage them the way a chicken does. I love being able to just let them loose without the worry.

Entertainment

They keep things interesting! They are very active birds, and need space to run, fly and forage. But they are also very entertaining to watch. They are quirky, weird little birds, and a fun addition to your homestead.

So now that you know how awesome they can be, do you think guineas are the right fit for you?? Let me know what you think!