Anyone keep Guinea Fowl?

[Paul79]

I've been considering keeping some sort of fowl for eggs and for the table, but am a bit daunted by the prospect of investing in a coop. henhouse etc, and dealing with the potential rodent problems. Plus, my other half has categorically stated that she will not help with the chores!

I read that Guinea Fowl are lower maintenance in their keeping, and do not need a coop of henhouse, as they will roost in trees, and are aggresive enough to see off cats.

Does anyone have experience of keeping these? Are they really that low maintenance? Do you lose many to cats and foxes?
Thanks

[Nicos]

I asked about them recently- but not much response

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...owl_20176.html

Look forward to your replies as I'm sort of interested too ( I understand they're not as tame as chooks and harder to round up at night)

[Nicos]

Here are three quotes I received from another forum...

"By guinea fowl do you mean pintarde, if you do, and you have near neighbours, please think of them, our farmer puts pintarde on his field from sept until jan, the noise is HORENDOUS, they are not like chickens, squawk for a while then stop, the noise only stops when the farmer puts them in the shed for the night, our french neighbours have just had a baby, and have said that they must speak to the farmer to see if he can move them elewhere, I think he has more chance of having tea with mother Theresa."

"Guinea fowl or gleanies (spelling?) are, as Belle says, EXTREMELY noisy ! If you aren't driven mad by the noise, your neighbours, if you have any, will be ! ! It would be worth your while finding out if anyone has them locally, and spending a bit of time 'observing' them !

Some friends of ours reared some for the pot (and, boy, were they delicious....) but vowed they wouldn't do it again because of the noise. They just go on and on.

But if noise isn't a problem, then they are wonderful birds, nice to watch and easy to look after. And, apart from their eggs, which are also very nice, make a delicious meal !"

"The only way to keep pintades is if you can put them way, way out of anyone's earshot. Incredibly noisy."


...well that's put me off I can tell you!!!!!
I couldn't cope with a cockrel either as I don't sleep well at the best of times!!

Hope that helps?????

[Paul79]

Oh dear! Sounds like keeping guinea fowl might be a non starter! I have a terraced house and although the gardens are very long, alot of people enjoy the peace and quiet at the bottom of those gardens.

Thanks for sharing the info

[Nicos]

You can eat Guinea pigs though!!!

[Paul79]

True, but I hear their egg laying output is a bit unreliable.