The Guinea Fowl are probably not the most attractive bird in the place. They've got a small red fin on top of their heads that looks like it could pick up the internet, and they have a painted white head mask just to confuse people. They're not interactive like our chickens. They don't stand on the back door mat and peer in at breakfast. They don't stand on your foot while they're pecking at seed and we never attempt to pick them up or pat them. They don't even have names. Just 'the Guinea Fowl' who roam the property in a constant state of alertness. They call out when the neighbour gets on his tractor or a stranger pulls up into the driveway. They are great watch dogs. Their best reputation is for keeping snakes away, particular at wineries. Not sure about visitors though. They make a hell of a racket if we move the garden house after it being in the one place for a long time. They don't really get along with the chooks and will happily pull a rooster by the tail if it gets near the food before them. We've tried to let them breed because they're fairly sought after but unfortunately we've got a night predator of some sort who get the chicks before eBay. So this year we're going to try and be a little more vigilant and attempt to protect them and their chicks. I did that last year but the males busted them out. And then the chicks got eaten. Watch dogs yes, intelligent creatures...not so much.
Do they lay eggs?
ReplyDeleteDuh! I realised after I wrote that comment that guineafowl babies obviously come from eggs. I probably meant edible (as in tasty, nutritious).
ReplyDeleteNow I have to go through another half-dozen captcha photos to get this comment up. Sigh.