Guineas

[W. Gray]

My maternal grandparents left their farm southwest of Howard and moved into town in 1951.

On their farm they kept guineas. I never understood the what or why of these things but for some reason they have stood out in my mind over the years.

I was watching an Africam yesterday and noticed a number of guineas walking around. First thing I thought of was my grandparents farm.

So I did a little looking around and discovered these things are from Africa and were (maybe still are) used in the US for a number of things.

Here is a quote from the web, "Ask those who keep guineas why they have them and you'll get a different answer every time. Chicken and turkey farmers keep them to ward off poultry-eating predators. Ranchers turn them loose to discourage rattlers and copperheads. Country dwellers like the way they gobble down disease-carrying ticks. Orchardists use them to drive off marauding birds. Farmers put them to work patrolling for row crop pests. Guineas do all this without damaging crops. Sure, they'll take the occasional peck at a cultivated plant, but they much prefer insects, weeds, and seeds."

So, are they any guineas left in Elk County?

[Wilma]

I can't tell you about guineas in Elk County today, but you missed one thing that they were excellent at doing.  They could tell you when there was company coming up the driveway or unwanted  presences in the back yard or hawks high in the sky.  My grandparents had a flock and while I never paid much attention as to why they had them, I would have missed them if they hadn't been there.  I don't remember ever having eaten any, but they resemble wild game.  Their feathers were good for fishing lures, too, being black and white spotted.

[Diane Amberg]

Our local farmers always had them when I was growing up.They would roost in the trees at night.They were, as you say, good watch birds.I don't know if anyone ever ate them, but they might have.

[frawin]

Waldo, Myrna's Dad had Guineas when I started going with her, her Dad said he kept them, for Watchdogs and they Also killed Bugs, Snakes of all kinds and if anyone Drove in the Yard they let you know someone was there. They were noisey when anything upset them, they made a  Distinct noise, different than any other Fowl or Bird I have ever heard. I have not seen any Guineas in Years.

[Delbert]

Probably Myrna's dad had the guineas to warn him that you were coming. ha

[jarhead]

Guineas are pretty good eating in noodles and such but I never had it like fried chicken.  Very dark meat. Some rural people around here still have guineas to control ticks in their yards but before we had deer in the late 50's, early 60's I don't remember ever having a tick problem---except ticks on a dog.

[frawin]

Jar, I never liked Guinea, as you said they are all Dark Meat and I do not like Dark meat on, Guineas or Chicken. Myrna likes Dark meat on Chicken, that works good when she Fries Chicken, she eats the Dark Meat and I eat the White Meat.

[Ross]

There are two different places very near Moline that have Guineas that I know of.
I've given some thought to having a few.
But I don't know how my dogs would do with them.
Still thinking on it.

I have to ask one of the people that have them if their eggs are good to eat.

I have lost so many chidkens to possums, and coons and pack rats, maybe a few Guineas might help.
I forgot skunks, too

Something to consider.