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Barnyard Buddies:  Guinea babies now!  |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 05 2009 : 6:40:31 PM
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I was feeding critters this morning and there there all were. I have never seen so many baby guineas in one place except at the feed store! There must be at least 16, but they are so fast I really can't tell. I have 8 grown guineas and it's so cute to watch them. They all help take care of them. You know the saying "It takes a village", well it takes 8 guineas to raise 16 babies. I went out awhile ago to check on them and I can't find them anywhere. And I thought I counted all the big ones. So I get all upset and go out in the tall hay field, scared to death of a rattlesnake or something, to go look for them. And there the momma is with I hope all of them under her. I was very glad to see that. But the whole time I'm thinking what dumb birds these are to take little tiny babies out in the tall hay field then leave them there to fend for themselves. And there she was.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2009 : 7:18:57 PM
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Guinea hens are fierce protectors of their chicks, and by the way great snake killers.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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Especially For You
True Blue Farmgirl
541 Posts
Tina
Watkinsville
GA
541 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2009 : 09:11:49 AM
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Great snake killers? I am on the way to the feed store to get 100!!lol
Tina |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2009 : 09:29:22 AM
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I don't know, Tina. There was a huge snake in the chicken yard a few weeks ago and they all just looked at it. A few of them went up a little closer. Maybe it was too big for them. I know they'll kill frogs and mice, but I think a snake has to be smaller for them to get it. And I also thought they would keep them away. But no, that one sure wasn't scared at all. I think if it had succeeded in getting in the hen house with that momma hen and her chicks it might have been killed. But I ran it off before it got in. I hate snakes!
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Especially For You
True Blue Farmgirl
541 Posts
Tina
Watkinsville
GA
541 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2009 : 09:39:01 AM
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ME TOO!!!!!!!!! You were very very brave. What did you do? I think that is whats holding me up from getting chickens.
tina |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2009 : 12:37:57 PM
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Well, after I ran screaming my head off, I turned around to see where it went. It was climbing up the wall trying to get in the hen house where I had just put the momma and babies up. I got mad and started throwing things at it and of course never once hit it. I think I grazed it with the shovel when I threw it. So it started trying to go under the hen house. I threw anything I could get my hands around. Of course I was 50 feet away and I'm not a good aim. So it finally went under the fence into the hay field. It went north and I haven't seen the darn thing since.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Especially For You
True Blue Farmgirl
541 Posts
Tina
Watkinsville
GA
541 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2009 : 2:27:44 PM
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I wish I had a video of that i could win a million!!!
Tina |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2009 : 3:03:46 PM
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Ha! I sure hope no one saw that. My neighbors probably don't pay attention to me anymore because I screem so much around here. Kinda like Peter and the Wolf. I hope nothing really bad happens.
Happiness is simple. |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2009 : 7:49:27 PM
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I have seen my Guineas kill rattlesnakes, with my own eyes, and they do it faster when they have babies.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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peapicker
True Blue Farmgirl
716 Posts
texas
USA
716 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2009 : 8:19:13 PM
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| Well I started out with six baby Guineas and I kept them inside a pen until they were grown and now I'm down to one. Something keeps getting them and I don't know what. Not sure if I'm going to get any more for a while. I got them for the snakes though. |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2009 : 6:20:51 PM
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It is so sweet to watch these grown guineas with all these babies. They are not like chickens at all. Another hen will peck a baby chick to death if it could. But guineas do not do that. All the adults are in a group with the babies in among them and they never bother them. I don't know which one is the mother. They all pitch in. Asn't that the neatest thing?
And there are still at least 15 of them so far.
Sharlot, I had that happen last year with some. I think they started out to be about 10 and ended up with 1. So we'll see how long these little ones last. They are all in the chicken yard today. A little safer than the hay field.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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peachy
True Blue Farmgirl
593 Posts
Melissa
Fennville
MI
USA
593 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2009 : 9:56:06 PM
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Kristen, if we only lived closer! I so need some "guard" guineas for my someday soon new chicks! They sound like they're wonderful mothers!!! Have you been taking pictures? As for snakes...I think they're better off in a yard other than ours don't ya think:)
Melissa
Farmgirl Sister #360
http://oldethymecountrybarn.blogspot.com/
Life isn't about waiting for the storms to pass...it's about learning to dance in the rain! |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jul 08 2009 : 03:40:25 AM
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Oh yeah! For sure. My DD said she thought that was a king snake and they are good to have around. And others have said black snakes are, too. I just said they can be good snakes somewhere else. I don't want 'em and really don't need 'em. I have 6 cats and 2 Rat Terriers and all these guineas. Plus chickens kill mice, too. And I have plenty of them. So I'm good without the evil horrid creatures in my yard.
I do take lots of pics but it will have to wait til I get real internet here to post any. But when I do...
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jul 12 2009 : 07:22:37 AM
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This morning I was out feeding and counted all 8 adult guineas and there weren't any babies. So I thought that was it, no more babies. I even asked them where they were. All of a sudden a few of them looked around and took off running to the garden. And there were all 15 of them following them back in. It was so cute.
But they are all still alive and well so far.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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peapicker
True Blue Farmgirl
716 Posts
texas
USA
716 Posts |
Posted - Jul 12 2009 : 07:38:13 AM
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| Awe, they sound so cute. I wish mine had made it. I only have one left. I think we have too many predators here. I am going to keep my next ones in a pen longer. Enjoy your babies. |
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homesteaderbelle
True Blue Farmgirl
391 Posts
Belle
USA
391 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2009 : 12:07:46 AM
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I love guineas. I have never had any of my own though.
I have never seen a baby guinea, I would love too see one!
I am glad that all of the guinea babies are alright.
Belle
http://www.homesteaderbelle.blogspot.com/
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2009 : 06:22:06 AM
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Belle, they are the cutest little guys when they're little. They have orange legs and look more like little chicks then. When they grow up they are pure ugly birds! Really. But great for the garden and all the bugs. We have no mosquitoes here at all.
Sharlot, so sorry you lost all yours.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Barnyard Buddies: Guinea babies now! |
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Guinea babies now!
