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Newbie here, have guinea fowl to help w/ bug control, too!
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Author:  Sharri TX [ Thu Jul 20, 2006 7:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Newbie here, have guinea fowl to help w/ bug control, too!

Hi to all -
I'm relatively new here, but absolutely love this site and the work that Howard does!

I used to be a chemical gal - see a bug, zap it. Organic fertilizer - what's that? Then I bought a place in the country - out of Austin, Texas. I brought my horses home and a flock of guinea fowl adopted me.

Now, w/ guineas, (along w/ my horses, dogs and cats) I can't very well spray for grasshoppers, can I? The guineas love them - and spiders... The guineafowl board in which I participate is ALL ABOUT gardening naturally and they've really turned me around. These two places go hand in hand. They're also working on an herbal site to treat guineas on illnesses - we have an herbalist or two who are spearheading this.

The site's founder of GFBA - Jeannette S. Ferguson wrote a great book "Gardening with Guineas". It's so nice to see your site and hers go so hand-in-hand.

So, do any of you have guineas also to help w/ bug erradication? Howard, et al, what is your take on guineas?

I'm catching up on my reading here - lots of my questions have surely been asked. I've told my guineafowl board all about you, too!

Thanks again!!! Look forward to much knowledge and many questions answered!!!

Sharri TX

Author:  pakin [ Fri Jul 21, 2006 11:56 am ]
Post subject:  Guineas

We are down to three guineas, but plan to add to them later. The only problem is their loud squawking. Several babies hatched a couple of years ago. We were able to keep them safe until they started roosting in the trees. Then the owls/hawks got them.

Pat Akin

Author:  Sharri TX [ Fri Jul 21, 2006 5:16 pm ]
Post subject:  gardening with guineas the natural way

Hi, Pat -
I was adopted by 8 (actually 9) last year. The 1st one was caught by a predator shortly after arriving.

So the 8 cleansed my field of all sorts of bugs. Several nests were built - a huge rat/bull/chicken snake ate numerous eggs. I then got an incubator.

However, I searched and found gfba.org and they helped me thru each day! All the while they told me to build a coop - predators will get them. I didn't listen until the day before I was going to assemble a pen around a broody momma and she was also caught. Then a few days later, as the 7 were flying down from their pine tree, my predator (neighbor's dogs!) got 3!

Well, they now have a coop for a home. I also was able to hatch 15 or so keets - a few died, but...I now have 15 total.

I let them out to eat bugs when I'm home - they do such a great job. I then "herd" them back in before dusk. I totally followed the rules - as keets, 6 weeks in a brooder while they feather out, and 6 weeks (seperated) in a back part of the coop so the adults could see them and they would be imprinted as to where home is.

I've had less grasshoppers, spiders - you name it - over the past 2 summers - due to another way to be organic - guineas.

Sorry for your losses - the guineas are predator bait if not cooped, and even then, obviously there are precautions to take.

I had a terrible problem last year w/ "stickers". This year I have relatively few - the guineas ate the young plants before they started to flower. I read some great info here on "sticker" eradication, but missed the time to put it down.

Author:  pakin [ Mon Jul 31, 2006 7:29 am ]
Post subject:  Guineas

We got our guineas a few years ago when the grasshoppers were terrible. It's great to watch them go after the bugs.

Although spiders can be a nuisance, you do know that most are beneficial. The black widow and brown recluse are our only "bad" ones, and dirt dabber's favorite food is black widow.

Austin is a good area for organic. There seems to be a great network down there--lots of enlightened folks.

Pat A

Author:  Sharri TX [ Mon Jul 31, 2006 11:29 am ]
Post subject:  gardening with guineas

Hi, Pat -
Yes, I know the benefits of spiders, just don't like them around my house. I never just kill one unless it's a recluse or widow. I love watching the dirt dobbers grab them, too. I also don't mind the guineas eating some, as I've got plenty around here!

Regarding the guineas - they are eating their fill on grasshoppers as we speak!

Austin is a great organically supported area, that's for sure. And again I'm glad I found this site to get ideas...

Author:  merri [ Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:48 pm ]
Post subject: 

i have thought of getting guinneas...will my cats get after them? i have read how good they can be for the garden, and as a newbie gardener i need all the help i can get!
maybe peacocks would take the cats on better!! any advice?

thanks, merri

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