Well, guineas would make the gators happy, at least...
Who knows about Snakes?
Texas gators can't fly so I think we'll be okay. :)
My mother who was born in 1921 was raised on a farm. She said the guineas are the best watch dogs ever. They always set up an alarm when someone comes around. City chickens are getting very popular, wonder what the codes are for guineas?
Noise pollution, lo flying aircraft, slow moving 'vehicles', abandoned pets, chuckl
I think that Guineas might be a way around some of those codes. My Deed Restrictions say "no chickens" but I spoke to all of my neighbors & they were okay with Guineas & chickens (hens only). We are just one block & everyone has 4-10 acres so it wasn't a big deal. Plus, offering fresh eggs was a real crowd pleaser (our closest grocery store is 12 miles away)! Guineas eggs are smaller but just as tasty.
One of my friends has Guineas and he turns them out every afternoon to chase grasshoppers in the hay meadow but has to stand guard so they stay out of the veggy garden he said they will strip every green leaf so quick that he must not turn his back for more that a few minutes
How fast do you have to run to catch the eggs they scatter behind them? I do like guineas, but they are almost as loud as peacocks! Yeah, roosters DON'T just crow at sunup, they like midnites too.
I have my veggie beds fenced off &, so far, they have stayed out of them. They do go in and out of my flower beds but haven't done much damage, a few leaves here & there. I feed them grains in the a.m. & p.m. so maybe that helps.
They tend to lay their eggs around the property but are fairly easy to find as they typically lay in the same few places. I have one of my Pearls that "sings" during the day but it's never too loud. The only time that the Guineas are loud is when a stranger or a strange animal comes around. The dogs out-loud them though!
Sounds like you have the silly girls well pampered! The Pearls an Blues were always my favs, but I never had time enuff to handle them and keep them from Goin wild- you do know they will kill snakes too?
I'm sure I'm paying triple in feed what I would pay for supermarket eggs but these eggs taste better & I know everything that the Guineas were fed, they are great pest control, plus they're fun to watch. Yes! Snake patrol is one of the main reasons I bought them. I haven't had them long so, hopefully, they won't go wild on me!!
If you are feeding them each more than a Tablespoon a day you are overfeeding, they won't complain tho- chuckl
I think I'll have some happy & fat hens :)
Well, a few days ago, I found the little snake's mom or dad on the garden. It must have been ar least 5' ling, dut it was moving so fast I couldn't get a real good look at it. It headed from the garden, across the patio & under the house. We have a raised house. Luckily the dogs didn't see it.
Get that weed field next door cut down!
I'm not overly fond of snakes but if they're not venomous, they are worth keeping around to control rodents. If you can stand the snakes!
But the ones that catch mice are apt to eat your chicks too, and small rabbits, and ...