Guineas on Patrol

Guineas on patrol.

Now that tick season has arrived, all five of our guineas are out and about. They range far, covering the area from the barn to the road each day, tirelessly patrolling for bugs and grubs, and watching for danger at every turn. It's nice to hear the "buck-WHEAT, buck-WHEAT" call of the females moving about the farm again. The sound takes the edge off of the males' raspy "ack, ack, ack, ack, AACH!" alarm. As I sit indoors and write this, I can hear their commentary through the now-closed door; they have strident voices.

Guineas sounding the alarm from the kennel rooftop.

As I was leaving the other day, the flock was ranging down by the front gate, moving swiftly. I was reminded of the numbers of guineas a neighbor has lost because the birds choose to range out onto the highway only to become roadkill. The four sturdy boards of our front fencing, and its welded-wire lining have kept our flock safe so far. But they can fly over it in the blink of an eye. I'm hoping the bugs and grubs inside the fence keep they satisfied, so they won't feel the need to venture into the road.

As the temperatures rise and the grubs emerge, our guineas should be well entertained within the boundaries of our farm. I'm hoping they choose to remain close to home throughout the season.