With four acres of rural land, I again say Guinea Fowl!
I feed them to my Nepenthes. Yum.
http://californiacarnivores.com/graphics/N._Judith_Finn.JPG
Cheap, are you now immunue?
Homebrew, how to the Guineas Winter over? How do you house them?
Are they as stupid as rumor has it?
Oh, and do they destroy the garden looking for bugs?
They’ll roost just like chickens. All you need is a henhouse or similar structure to keep them warm at night and give them free run during the day. During the winter you’ll have to provide poultry feed. They’ll even roost with chickens if you have them. However, they will be agressive towards roosters if kept in a confined area during the day.
When you first get them, keep them couped for a few days. Then let them loose slowly. Allow one to be free range for a few days and it will learn to stay close. Then allow a second. Once you get those two firmly rooted, you can release the rest. Ideally you can buy keets (baby guineas) and they become rooted more readily.
Unlike chickens, however, they prefer a secluded nest rather than the common egg laying nests around the henhouse. You’ll have to hunt for their eggs if you plan to hatch them in an incubator or eat them. Guinea hens will typically only sit once a year. So eggs they lay early in the season before they’re ready to brood will be wasted if you don’t use an incubator (or eat them).
Rabbits and deer are by far more damaging. Whitetail deer love watermelon. In fact the guineas help cut down on damaging insects and weed seeds. Here’s a book about using guineas specifically for gardening
And here’s a link to a page that will give you an idea of how they sound!
http://guineafowl.com/fritsfarm/guineas/sounds/
There’s a recording there for both the males and the females.
Cool. The guy down the road has some. Maybe I can get some from him.
Homebrew - I don’t have 4 acres, I have 4 dogs. And 14 acres. And that’s just my acreage - there are 500 acres all around. With lots of coyotes and bobcats. I don’t think guinea fowl would have a chance.
StG