tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post3487420129210687501..comments2024-03-28T00:20:01.688-05:00Comments on Little Blog In The Big Woods: Kansas in AugustGreenpahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224906349154302210noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-288759556679592682008-08-24T10:48:00.000-05:002008-08-24T10:48:00.000-05:00Susan- delighted to hear they can be successful pa...Susan- delighted to hear they can be successful parents in Michigan; so many sources say "can't". We'll see.<BR/><BR/>Wanderer- where have you been all my life!!!?? Real information! Fantastic! I'm also hoping/expecting to have multiple flocks in time- how big were your flocks? Did you have to have multiple houses? Did that 4 year college project result in a publication I could read?? More!Greenpahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17224906349154302210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-1758772561081193962008-08-19T20:42:00.000-05:002008-08-19T20:42:00.000-05:0015 years with guineas in 3 regions (midwest, south...15 years with guineas in 3 regions (midwest, south, deep south) and we never had issues with lack of offspring. The problem often is lack of appropriate (and predator-safe) brooding places, and that the chicks can be a bit dumb. Drowning was a problem at times as well (especially on farms where domestic ducks are present.) We kept brood boxes on the side of houses or other functioning buildings where the disturbance raised by a predator would alert a bigger predator (such as humans or dogs or donkeys.) Also, we never had issues with young flocks sticking to the area after 1 month of captivity; bigger challenge were tranferred adults. We did lose a few to gators on occasion. You might be suprised by your whites; in mixed flocks of decent size we didn't have any greater loss of whites than of darker colors (part of the research project for a local college, tracked over 4 years.) We also, due to land size, hosted 4 distinct flocks. Another problem that we did have was that in almost every flock one bird would be picked on or driven out routinely (very distressing to the critter.) <BR/><BR/>Still one of my favorite birds.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-75842466649937358652008-08-19T09:10:00.000-05:002008-08-19T09:10:00.000-05:00Hi, my dad has guineas, and they roam around the f...Hi, my dad has guineas, and they roam around the farm. The problem I have seen with them is they like to lay their eggs where you can't find them! Dad also leaves them out to fend for themselves but he also has chickens that lay eggs. The guineas manly are pest control, and are experts, also you will have to fense off your lettuce patch. If you buy cattle that will offer some protection, the guinea will follow and stay with them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-11433543240799599082008-08-18T20:45:00.000-05:002008-08-18T20:45:00.000-05:00Around here (northern Michigan) I often hear somet...Around here (northern Michigan) I often hear something like "I thought the coyotes got that guinea hen, and then one day she showed up again with 18 little ones." <BR/><BR/>They will raise broods, and big ones. They will also sometimes get slaughtered en mass by varmints. Most of the time you don't decide when to let them out. They decide to get out. <BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.guineafowl.com/fritsfarm/guineas/" REL="nofollow">This source says to keep them inside for six weeks,</A> so that they won't wander. She seems unusually organized about guineas. I bet her book on the subject is pretty good.Susan Ochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13349528942254702007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-9709175551951124892008-08-14T16:50:00.000-05:002008-08-14T16:50:00.000-05:00Hi Greenpa,I understand not wanting to disclose yo...Hi Greenpa,<BR/><BR/>I understand not wanting to disclose your crop or location, but would you mind filling me in on how you got started with the business side of your farming? Did it start as a hobby? How did you make your contacts with restaurants/buyers/whatever?<BR/><BR/>Thanks so much for the great blog!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-30222914402496495222008-08-14T11:18:00.000-05:002008-08-14T11:18:00.000-05:00I have heard guineas weren't great mamas also. So...I have heard guineas weren't great mamas also. So I was going to try and let my hens raise them next year. We'll see how it goes. My guineas have been out a couple of weeks now. They have been content to stay around, they even follow us. It's kinda cute. <BR/><BR/>Good luck with your harvest!Nancy M.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00890420576437109817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-46036988457785067802008-08-14T08:35:00.000-05:002008-08-14T08:35:00.000-05:00Sounds like a crazy time at your place - smaller s...Sounds like a crazy time at your place - smaller scale here, but not too totally different, although not doing the CSA, although crops are slowed down by rain and cold temperatures, so they are actually coming in rather politely, taking their time and not overwhelming us ;-).<BR/><BR/>Please don't electrocute yourself, just as a favor to me ;-).<BR/><BR/>Sharonjewishfarmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17547121621115074866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-16898248247974242762008-08-13T22:23:00.000-05:002008-08-13T22:23:00.000-05:00Safety glasses of course, and a nice bucket of wat...Safety glasses of course, and a nice bucket of water with lots of dissolved baking soda, for removing those unsightly spots of battery acid in a hurry just in case.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-3722654078078096192008-08-13T15:39:00.000-05:002008-08-13T15:39:00.000-05:00I'm glad the keets are doing well. I'm not sure wh...I'm glad the keets are doing well. I'm not sure why you have so little faith in them as breeders, but we'll cross that road in the spring.<BR/>In forty years in the trades I almost burned down two places. The Fire Department had to come in one case.<BR/>But it wasn't electrical. It was trying to get black steampipe apart in radiator systems using a torch.<BR/>Risky activity.<BR/>All the same, as a plumber and an electrician, and a reader of the national electrician magazines, electricity kills a lot of people, plumbing, not many. Unless you add voltage of course.<BR/>There is a given in the trade: there are no stupid old electricians.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-41933089750533176892008-08-13T12:24:00.000-05:002008-08-13T12:24:00.000-05:00The image of a jagged knife with insulated handle ...The image of a jagged knife with insulated handle in a room alive with sparks and melting steel will do for a while.WILDBLUESbysushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05721938956504857045noreply@blogger.com