Birds to raise for meat and tick control

[SandraMort]

I've got a bad tick problem here. Lyme is rampant and one of my kids, my brother in law, my father in law and several friends have had it. I'm really torn up about the birds and ticks - I NEED to have some semi-disposable birds on tick patrol but we have had some hawk attacks, so I'm under no delusions that everybody will survive to the winter. What I need to know is what birds can be hatched/purchased in the late winter/early spring, permitted to range as soon as old enough for that to be safe, and then processed for meat when fall hits so I don't need to care for them over the winter.

Guineas are one option, and generally recommended around here for ticks, but they're SOOO loud. They don't seem incredibly expensive.

My muscovies haven't been bothered by the hawks, presumably because of their size, but do they eat ticks? I can get reasonably priced ones from jm hatchery if those are a good option.

Turkeys get nice and big, therefore potentially affording some protection from the hawks, plus they like to sleep outside in trees (we have lots of trees on this property) and wouldn't take up barn space, which is not tight... yet. But they're expensive to get heritage ones if the hawk might end up eating them.

If there's another option, please feel free to suggest it as well.

***To the mods: Please feel free to move to the correct location if I was wrong -- I put it here because of the dual purpose nature, plus ducks and turkeys being in two different folders.***

 

[jvls1942]

In my opinion guineas are the best bet.. we have 3 dogs running loose on the place. all sorts of landscapes from grass to pine woods.. in the past 3 years we have not found more tha a total of 6 woodticks on all of the dogs combined.. In the past 2 years I have not had a single tick on myself.. prior to the guineas, I would have as many as 4 ticks on me from just mowing the lawn..(2 hours on a riding mower)

I do not mind the noise,, and besides, they are not always noisy..

You will lose them to predators ..so I suggest you have enough of them so you don't run out..

they make the best first warning in case of predators... and I watched a few of mine pinpoint exactly where a fox was hiding,,more than a few times..

.....jiminwisc.......

 

[Southerngirl]

We live near pine trees and ticks were a real problem here for us as well. Then we got our banties and standard size chickens and we rarely ever see a tick. I do agree that guineas are the #1 exterminator for tick control but chickens also do a great job as well.

 

[Must Be Losing It]

I agree with the guinea comment. When I free range my guineas I watch them go up to weeds and tall grasses and they basically run the blades through their beeks and scrape off the bugs. Its interesting to watch and quite thorough.

Honestly between my chickens and guineas the bug control is great! And I'm not exposing my kids or dog to pesticides.