I know this is probably a dumb question and could get me in trouble with ginnue lovers, but are they good to eat? From what I read they are pretty prolific and wondered what everyone does with all the extras.
If my peacock doesn't stop pecking at my bedroom window every morning, I may consider finding out what peacock tastes like. (Or at least that's what I'm telling him). It's a second story window for heavens sake. He has to fly up on the roof to do it. I told him he has to wait till I get up to be fed, but he has no consideration.
Can you eat ginneas?
ROFLOL!!!!!!! That's down right hysterical!!!
jylgaskin, I've eaten a few ...... but they were off the rotisserie and smothered in bar-b-cue sauce. They are a bit gamey and tough. I highly recommend them for a change of pace. We have 8 guineas that have a tough time reproducing due to skunks eating the eggs in their fairly well hidden nests. Makes one appreciate the boneless skinless chicken breasts ...... all the more. If you watch the movie ... "Notting Hill" starring Hugh Grant & Julia Roberts ...... guinea fowl is the entree served at dinner when she (the movie starlet) meets his family ..... he's a clerk from a bookstore in a middle class London neighborhood. Charming movie and the guinea fowl struck a chord with all of us here at home.
Guinea fowl need significant protection when brooding eggs in a nest. It is widely suggested that a circular perimeter fence be set up surrounding a nest by about 4 feet (8 feet diameter). This allows the hen to fly over the fence but prevent skunks, cats, coyotes, dogs, mink or raccoons from raiding the nest during the 28 day incubation period. These perimeter fences also need a 2 ft sideways matt fence on the ground to prevent predators from digging under the 5-6 foot tall welded wire fence. Without that kind of protection ... they'll just not hatch eggs very often. We have skunks here so thick it is insane. They look like long haired pigs with the appropriately colored tails. I cannot get over how fat the ones I've seen along the road in the past few days. The roadkill looks nearly edible.
I've read guineas are considered a delicacy and suppose to be very tastey. I only have one so he's not going to freezer camp...yet. My female died several months ago so there went my guinea population for this year anyway...
He's much quieter with her gone. She called all the time for him and that seemed to make him more high strung if that is possible. He seems content hanging with the chickens. I think in the spring I will try to get a couple guineas for him to keep him company. I'm one of those everybody needs their own friend type person.... it's why there are so many animals here...lol
Here is a link
http://www.grimaud.com/fowl.htm
Julie =0)
I'll stick to chicken, thank you. Well, and giant turkeys. I can't even pick up the biggest bronze any more. He is like a bag of wet cement. (A bag of cement that poops on your feet when you try to pick it up.)
LMAO!!! : )
Finding the guinea's nest is a big part of the problem. Only guineas I am able to raise, I find the nest (when I am lucky enough to find it) and put the eggs in the incubator. They are easy to hatch.
The next problem I had with the young guineas was our sweet little doxie. I put 21 babies out on a sunny spring afternoon in what I thought was a protected spot. It was in a raised landscape timber bed that was 4 timbers tall. When it was time that I thought they should come in they were not there. I asked DH when he had put the babies in their coops and he said he hadn't. I thought he was kidding.
The little doxie was ill all night long. Not one guinea baby was ever found nor any part of one.
When I would try to protect the nests, the guineas would desert it and make a new one. The only way I have been able to get any results is to hunt for them and incubate. I usually find them in the thick grass along the fence and under some bushes.
They really taste pretty decent in gumbo. I think it is the cajun seasoning hiding the gaminess.
I'm sorry, but something about that just struck my giggle bone. I think it's the thought of a doxie eating 21 chicks and then trying to walk. She must lave looked just like one of the landscape timbers! She would have been, oh forgive me, A ginnuies stout. (Ok for the non drinkers, that's a famous ale)
It amazes me that some animals and birds can be such apparently lousy mothers and yet the species doesn't die out. Of course, look at some humans.....
Your right about it being funny, but I sure was aggravated at the time.
The best mothers for the guineas seems to be the old hens (chickens). The only problem with that is the guineas think they are chickens. A momma hen can sit on a lotta lotta guinea eggs. I wonder what she thinks when it takes a week longer and none of the babies look like her LOL.