13 Reasons why you should raise Guinea fowl

Guinea Fowl aren't for everyone, that's just the straight truth. They are loud, annoying, funny looking and dumber than you can believe. However they have several redeeming qualities that make farmers and backyard poultry keepers alike big fans of this silly looking bird.

I started raising Guinea fowl a few years back because of our tick problem. I've decided you either love guinea fowl or you hate them. I happen to love them and have found a whole bunch of reasons why I think everyone should get a few Guineas.

Why you should raise guinea fowl:

1) Tick control 

Yes, chickens will eat ticks that are in your yard and so will Guinea fowl. Guineas though, will forgo personal safety and enter the brush and woods to hunt out these minute pests which will help keep your kids and pets safer from tick borne illness like Lyme disease.

2) Watchdog 

Ever hear a flock of Guineas "go off"? It's like someone tripped the alarm system! It's pretty darn loud but it's a good indication that someone drove down the driveway, the neighbors dog is in the yard, a hawk is overhead etc etc. 

When you start to hear really loud Guinea fowl sounds, it's time to look out the window because something is up.

3) Predator alert 

Your chickens will learn pretty fast that when the Guineas see a hawk and freak out, it's time to run for cover. Of course it could just be a leaf blowing by that causes the guineas to freak out, but the chickens seem to learn the difference in guinea alerts. 

Guinea fowl also let you know about things you might not notice are in the yard like snakes or the neighbors cat. 

4) Guineas hate snakes! 

They will actually kill small snakes. The guinea fowl will start hollering and alert you to the presence of larger snakes. Many time this will scare the snake away, especially if the guineas all surround it, which they tend to do as they are screaming their heads off.

5) Other Bug control 

They also like to eat bugs like fire ants, earwigs, grasshoppers, Japanese beetles and yes, guinea fowl eat stink bugs. They'll eat pretty much everything but ladybugs and adult tent worms. They are kinder to your garden then chickens are. 

They don't scratch as deeply as chickens and are usually more interested in searching for bugs then snacking on your zinnias. Usually.

6) Guinea fowl eggs

Their tasty little eggs are triangular shaped and very hard shelled. They break like porcelain when you crack them. Backpackers like to pack Guinea eggs since they're so much harder to crack then chicken eggs. Plus, guinea eggs have twice as much protein than chicken eggs!

7) Beautiful feathers!

They leave those lovely spotted feathers everywhere! Plus, guineas come in about 30 different colors. Other than the white guinea fowl, many of the different colors of guineas sport feathers with the little white dots on them.

8) Amusement value 

Guineas are absolutely hilarious! They are like tiny little roadrunners when they get started and the male guinea fowl will chase each other for hours. They'll also run from one side of your yard to the other chasing a moth. Plus they are pretty funny looking. Kinda like miniature little helmet shaped clowns.

9) Cold hardy 

For a bird that is originally from Africa, Guinea fowl are surprisingly cold hardy and can tolerate winter better then some chicken breeds. They have no problem going out in the snow and will even try to sleep in the trees in the winter if you let them!

10) Very little feed consumption in summer

Guinea fowl don't need much feed spring through fall. They would much rather eat the bugs they catch. This is good news for your feed bill which will dip every summer. I let my guinea fowl out in the morning and they don't return to the coop till evening. 

11) They make excellent dinner 

Guinea fowl meat is very yummy roasted. Guinea tastes exactly like chicken only a bit gamey. Of course they can be a little difficult to catch come butchering time...

12) Disease hardy 

Guineas get sick far less often than chickens. In my 5 years of raising guineas I've never had 1 case of illness other then the occasional mites dropped by a wild bird. They love dust bathing though and DE and wood ash in their dust tub solves a mite problem real quick! 

13) Baby guinea fowl are so cute!

Guinea keets are about the cutest thing you will ever raise! With their bright orange beaks and feet they almost look too cute to be real! They are fast little things too, and pretty quiet compared to how noisy they will be as adults.


Keeping guinea fowl is about the same amount of work as chickens are. They require the same type of housing and care. They can even eat the same feed. I have to admit that of the 3,000 or so keets I sell every season the most common thing I hear is that they want guineas because either a family member or pet has contracted Lyme disease.

This isn't as big an issue in certain other parts of the country, but here in the mountains of western Pennsylvania it's a pretty big problem. Thankfully, solving that problem is a guineas favorite thing. They spend their entire day searching the woods for bugs!

If you're looking to order some guinea keets, I've bought most of mine from Ideal hatchery. Now that you know why you should raise guineas...I'm going to confuse you even more with 14 Reasons you should not raise guinea fowl. Enjoy!

Want to know more about raising Guineas? Click here for Guineas 101, everything you want to know about guinea fowl!

~L

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