permaculture

["John D'hondt" <dhondt@eircom.net>]

Free range guinea fowl have a life expectancy here of a few weeks thanks to 
our large fox population. The hens like to hatch outside and on the ground. 
Never known one to last more than two nights. Great pity.
John in West Cork, Ireland

> Several years ago we got a huge batch of guineas and raised them.  Within 
> a
> year they had become feral and wander around our little town of West Lima,
> into everyone's yards.  (The town is about 15 houses, 10 blocks.)  I used
> to be really worried that we'd alienate the neighbors even more but after
> checking in with a bunch of the neighbors that actually talk to me, found
> out that everyone likes them and would like to have more running around
> town, knowing how many insects and ticks they clean up.
>
>
> On Thu, Nov 14, 2013 at 6:10 PM, Lawrence London 
> <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>wrote:
>
> > Two days ago I was washing off a concrete slab with my garden hose with
> > power nozzle. Some serious action begins to unfold ten feet to my left. A
> > huge hawk swooped down right beside and from behind me onto my guinea 
> > fowl
> > clutching at it with its talons trying to get a grip and fly off with it. 
> > I
> > quickly pointed the water jet at the bird who after a minute or so 
> > finally,
> > reluctantly, let go of the guinea unharmed. This bird was huge, giant
> > wingspan. Looked like an eagle. I think it was not an owl as its head was
> > elongated with big beak but it stared at me like an owl. It was really
> > stunned by the water jet and just stood around doing nothing but 
> > spreading
> > its wings and being generally defensive. At one point it appeared to be
> > shivering from the cold as it was wet by the time I had freed the guinea. 
> > I
> > took a long pole and gradually lifted it in increments out to a field 
> > where
> > it flew away after an hour or so. I was worried that it might fly at me
> > with talons extended so I was careful with it. Experience with 
> > copperheads,
> > wasps, yellowjackets has taught me how to deal with risky wildlife but I 
> > do
> > not take chances. Amazing thing that was. Was it a hawk or an owl? I have
> > both on my property, maybe two kinds of owls and the small and the large
> > hawk, also plenty of crows, vultures, geese, blue herons and many 
> > different
> > kinds of song and foraging small birds in season.
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