[NAFEX] Muscovy duck vs. Guinea Fowl

Charles Paradise machelp at attglobal.net
Sat Jun 4 18:21:54 EDT 2005


My reading of prior years posts to this newsgroups and WWW suggests the following about birds.  Remember, my purpose is to get fowl eating ticks ASAP in my suburban location, birds chosen need to evade neighborhood dog.  Since I plan to pick-up 3 guinea fowl keets tomorrow morning, I will appreciate if anyone can dissuade me or encourage me by reviewing my understanding of my fowl options:

Bobwhite: will eat ticks, but primarily eat fruit and grain.  But can get ticks themselves.

Muscovy duck: a tree-dwelling duck from S. America particularly adept at ridding areas of flies.  Agreeable but large at 10 to 15 lbs.

Wild Turkey: have been recommended by some as consuming ticks.

Guinea Fowl: 95% of posts report as a reliable,thorough consumer of ticks.  But raise terrific noise when alarmed.  Tough, hardy, evasive.

Geese: the only bird eats grass.  Will threaten dogs, also visitors.

Below are from archives:
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Doc Lisenby Nov 17 2003:

I have Guinea Fowl in my vineyard and nothing moves on the
ground except fireants.  They roost in surrounding oaks and
pecan trees. They  follow me around and love all the June
Bugs and Japanese Beetles I pick off for them. Some say they
eat chiggers and ticks also.  I can't see what they are
picking up in freshly turned earth but it interests them, as
does grass seeds. They like to dust in any bare earth spots.
 I prefer them to turkeys but they, like turkeys, are prone
to  raucous outbursts when a varmint  or stranger comes
around.  Eggs are a bonus if they can be found and that is a
challenge. Their droppings aren't as messy as other farm
fowl's. Doc Lisenby Zone 7/8
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Lon J. Rombough  May 1  EDT 2004:
Guinea fowl can escape easily, but you may get in trouble
with anti-noise ordinances - they scream like banshees.
Only thing worse is peacocks.
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