From flylo@txcyber.com Tue Oct 12 14:44:37 1999
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1999 07:55:51 -0500
From: flylo@txcyber.com
To: sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu
Subject: rainwater run off & guineas

Someone on a biodynamic farming list mentioned the run off from 
the recent flooding on his own fields were clear running water, 
whereas the run off from the adjacent lands were the typical muddy 
silt. Has anyone on SANET experienced or noticed different water 
quality in various farm run off?

And Guinea topic: We had guineas for a long time but the older 
they got, the more alarmist they became. A mob of birds 
screaming at shadows (and they CAN scream) was more than I 
could handle. These guys lived 12+ years, too, very hardy. 
Otherwise, they were great in with the rest of the poultry.
Funny story. We had an insurance sales rep come by to talk to us 
about farm insurance. He had some 'trainees' with him. The 
guineas dutifully screamed their 'Hello', then ran off to play guinea 
games. The trainees were probably overwhelmed by everything 
anyhow, so didn't ask questions. As they conducted their 
business. they kept craning around to watch the guineas out the 
window. The birds were playing 'tag', sliding down the barn roof, 
and running around to the opposite side to fly up to do it again and 
again. Finally, someone asked me WHAT ARE THOSE BIRDS, 
AND WHAT ARE THEY DOING? (I guess it was unusual to see 23 
birds falling off the barn roof over and over again.) 
 If you raise the babies, I don't think they can stand the regular 
medicated chick starters, I can't remember. Game bird starter is 
usually safer for turks and keets. 
A guinea might take over a chicken 'wallow' for a dust bath but they 
won't scratch up the (established) garden nearly as bad as 
chickens do. They do travel in packs, so if one does something, 
they all do it. So, if they trample over newly planted ground, it won't 
be just one guinea, it'll be the whole mob. 
Taste wise, they're all dark meat, and seem to have more flavor 
than chicken. Killing one is an art form though. I've actually wrung a 
neck on a guinea and had it get up and scream at me and run off! 
Years later the only way I could tell that bird from the rest? His 
neck was a little longer and he was not trusting around people. 
Can't say as I blamed him. They say they can dodge bullets and I 
believe them! (Needless to say, we ate very few guineas around 
here.)
We're guinea-less here now, and if I were to get screamers again, 
I'd go back to peafowl instead of guineas as I'm not apt to eat either 
very soon. 


Martha, (Texas)
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Fields/5505/index.html

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