tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4290494522066249555.post8561550680549966451..comments2023-09-12T00:28:08.839-07:00Comments on Capsand Creamery: Guineas' Farewell ExtravaganzaChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00277082431628319040noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4290494522066249555.post-73149043734276251762012-08-12T07:26:37.565-07:002012-08-12T07:26:37.565-07:00We tried millet, but they were so terrified of us ...We tried millet, but they were so terrified of us from the beginning that it didn't seem to help. Handling each bird more than once a day was too time consuming and stressful. It felt like we were really working against their natural instinct. I think we will try again with a different management system. This year they were either in a shed or enclosed run when they were young. As they outgrew the run, I let them completely out to free-range. It was a big transition and didn't leave much error for training. Next season they will have a large attached fenced area to their coop, so when they are strong enough to fly over the four ft fence, I know they can escape the neighbor fox. The weaker birds that stay behind during the day will help call the others back in the evening. <br /><br />They really are amazing birds and an excellent option for homesteads that need to minimize commercial feed purchases for their "pastured" poultry. Our (15) 17 weeks-old Guineas dressed at 3.5 to 4 lbs. and only consumed ~150lbs of turkey feed.Christinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00277082431628319040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4290494522066249555.post-1686648333248166552012-08-12T06:27:59.974-07:002012-08-12T06:27:59.974-07:00I have read that they will return to a coop in the...I have read that they will return to a coop in the evening if they are trained to know they will get millet when they are inside. Did you try this?dogladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08240144182898707334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4290494522066249555.post-53814287101164408372012-08-05T06:00:14.290-07:002012-08-05T06:00:14.290-07:00I won't know if they knocked down the ticks un...I won't know if they knocked down the ticks until fall, when they begin biting us again. My feeling is that their range was so wide and varied, that it would be hard to notice a difference in a single area (garden). We have our garden fenced to keep out deer, so the Guineas only went in there a few times, crushing plants on their way. Our grape vines are covered with beetles and the birds had full access to those. Maybe our problems had to do with them being juvenile birds. A well-trained older bird that has a full season to eat bugs may be a better approach. My fear was that our flock would not make it to maturity.Christinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00277082431628319040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4290494522066249555.post-36102035344381599262012-08-05T04:53:32.046-07:002012-08-05T04:53:32.046-07:00But did they clean up the bug situation in your ga...But did they clean up the bug situation in your garden and surrounding property? How were they on Japanese Beetles?dogladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08240144182898707334noreply@blogger.com