What breed guinea is best for ticks?

[twincougars]

I just joined the forum so please excuse me if this topic has been discussed before.

I am considering buying guineas to control the tick population here. I have raised ducks and chickens before, but never guineas. We also need them to get along with our two horses and four dogs. I haven't a clue as to what breed to get. We are in the Inland Northwest at about 2000 ft. if that is any determining factor. Two breeders I am looking at are mcmurray hatchery and cackle hatchery. Suggestions are welcome. Thank you.

 

[BritinMO]

We have just regular guineas, someone will be able to advise you on the different breeds much better than me!

But ours do fine with our horses, dogs and cats........the guineas gather underneath the horse buckets at feeding time and eat up any grain they drop, the horses don't mind them one bit around their feet. And its good for their 'spook' training if a guinea takes off in a flap when I'm riding the horses (which they occasionally do!)

The only time I have seen any guinea 'threatening' a cat, was when one of the cats went a bit close to the chicken coop where the guineas have their nest - the cats like to go in the coop and curl up for a snooze in the chicken nesting boxes, but they have had to stop that habit since the guinea nest was established in there!

I've seen the guineas chase a Beagle off the property here when it showed up - but they leave our 3 dogs alone.

Guineas are really fun birds to have around the place, even though they do make a bit of noise at times, but we love ours and they amuse us constantly!

Good luck with it all - let us know how it all goes!

 

[Cowgirl71]

I've had all of the common colors (Pearl, Lavender, White, Royal Purple, and Pied), and my top favorite is the Pearl by far. They have the best predator-protection coloration, and they've been much hardier than the other breeds for me. Since they are the most common color they also tend to be cheaper.

I got Guineas for ticks too. They do an AWESOME job!

Feel free to PM me with any other Guinea questions!

 

[twincougars]

Now I am excited! I just ordered 30 Jumbo Pearl guineas (keets). Only thing is, the earliest they could ship is the week Aug. 2 to Aug. 5. I hope I can get some use out of them before it gets too cold.

I tore apart the inside of our chicken house to turn it into a horse barn when we were bringing our two horses up here, since we had stopped having chickens several years back. I guess I will now have to build some sort of shelter for them, with perches and nesting boxes just like chickens? I probably could convert part of the barn overhang, now used for the wood shed. Are they very sensitive to drafts? Does anyone else also have iguanas that they pen outdoors in good weather like we do? I am wondering if the guineas would bother the iguanas.

 

[jeepchick]

Id be afraid they would eat the iguanas if they are really little

 

[twincougars]

Quote:
Well from the nose to the tip of the tail, one is about 1 1/2ft. and the other about 2 ft. Would that be too small?

Edited to add: their tails had to be shortened due to some accident and illnesses, but their bodies are about 5 inches wide.

 

[PeepsCA]

My Guineas attack/eat snakes and lizards... but as long as your iguanas are caged/penned and the birds can't get to them, they should be ok, especially since they are pretty good sized iguanas.

Keets are sensitive to drafts, but once they are grown and feathered they are much heartier. They still do need an area sheltered from the rain and the wind to roost in tho. 30 jumbo pearls, fully grown will need at least 4 sq feet per bird in the coop/shelter, with plenty of roosting/perching space as well.

My Guineas do not use nesting boxes... they prefer pieces of plywood leaned against the wall at an angle (and secured so the wood does not fall on them) and I have had decent luck with them laying in large plastic dog crates/kennels with the door removed. I've also made a frame of 2"x4"s and nailed pine branches to it for privacy and attached it to the wall at an angle for the Hens to lay behind too.

 

[ColbyNTX]

An early August hatch would give you some guineas that are pretty hardy by October with the right feed. Since you are at 200oft i'm guessing it can be pretty cold by then. They will need good shelter untill then. Do not skimp on the feed since it will be such a late hatch. Get a good turkey or gamebird starter that is 28-30% protien and feed them that for the first 8-10 weeks. If your feedstore doesn't carry it, just ask them to get you a bag or two on their next order. Most all feedstores will be happy to do that for you if you ask and pay up front.

 

[fishman65]

If you have an incubator i would just buy some eggs and hatch my own. All guineas make great tick eaters. They do great in the heat or the snow.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Just a tip, the jumbo guineas are supposedly unable to breed naturally because they are so big. I would go with the 'normal' ones.