Guinea fowl have been kept on farms for thousands of years. Figurines were carved into temples and buildings of the ancient Egyptians, dating back to 2400 B.C.E.

Our Guinea Fowl venture out on a warm winter day

The Greeks were keeping domesticated varieties by 400 B.C.E. and the ancient Romans considered both the meat and eggs delicacies. In Africa, wild flocks were so abundant, guineas did not need to be kept in domestic flocks. Eggs could be retrieved from nests during laying season.

Guineas are social creatures

Early colonists brought guinea fowl to the new world just 16 years after Christopher Columbus’ first landing. They were quite the popular fowl on farms until turkey and chickens became more commercially viable at the turn of the 20th century. Today, guineas have increased in popularity on small farms. They are voracious insect eaters, keeping populations of ticks, grasshoppers, slugs, snails and other livestock parasites in check. Guineas also double as an excellent alarm when strangers approach.

In her book, Gardening with Guineas, Jeannette Ferguson provides a great description of these birds. “Guineas are rough, vigorous, hardy, basically disease-free birds. They are also the most active ‘gardener’ on the farm. Continuously on the move, they pick up bugs and weed seeds with nearly every peck they take—and they do it without destroying plants because they do not scratch like chickens.” In my limited experience, I’ve found this to be quite accurate. They are quite comical to watch too.

If you are interested in purchasing guineas, you should be aware of their loud alarm calls. You should probably check with any close neighbors before investing in birds or an aviary. We have our guineas housed away from the house, in a pasture where they can do the most good.

Guinea fowl are beneficial farm inhabitants

Housing doesn’t need to be elaborate but size will depend on the number of guineas. It is advised to allow three or four square feet per bird. High perches made from 2”x 2” wood are preferred by the birds. Ladder type roosts are also ideal. Fresh water should be provided at all times. Even though most of their diet is obtained from free-range foods, some supplementation is necessary. Offer free choice grit, oyster shells (for calcium) and an 18% protein chicken layer ration. In wintertime we need to supply most of their dietary intake.

We hope that our guineas will successfully reproduce each spring, so check with us in the summertime if you’re interested in a starter flock, we may just have some for you!

For more information, check out:
Mother Earth News Oct/Nov 2003 issue, "Go Ahead, Get Guineas!"

In fact, if you're interested in living lightly on the earth, then you should subscribe to our favorite magazine, the Mother Earth News at:
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