Update on the Farming Friends – Cottage Smallholder Interblog Guinea Fowl Event. One wife and a handful of husbands.
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Guinea Fowl | 15 comments
It seems ages since Sara at Farming Friends sent us six guinea fowl eggs in the post. June 2007 saw the launch of the Farming Friends’ – Cottage Smallholder’s Interblog Guinea Fowl Event. Now the guinea fowl have grown up and I must admit I have fallen in love with these gentle creatures.
A couple of weeks ago I went down to clean out the chicken house. Carol (our Roman Empress Maran hen) was looking a bit rumpled and was clearly rattled. She was squeezed on the roof of the chicken house – there is just enough space for her to stand under the netted top of the run if she bobs down. As I swept out the dormitory and replaced the hay in the nesting box she clucked. A staccato tattoo, with her head very close to mine. It was clear from the tone that this was not a reassuring, “Thanks for cleaning out our house” sort of chortle. She kept on and on – clearly agitated and hugely disgruntled.
When I was looking in the storage bins for the red mite powder I heard her thunder past, pursued by an elegant guinea fowl cock. A male on a mission who clearly had not boned up on the delicacies of courtly love. Wildly attracted to the strongest, largest hen in the pen he had forgotten the importance of canoodling – and was just attempting to jump on board.
Carol, was not amused. Suddenly I understood the roof top scenario and was impressed by her intelligence. If she stands on the hen house roof there is not even the space for a flea to land on her back.
We have a problem. Our four guinea fowl have finally matured and discovered a yearning to propagate. I hoped that we had two pairs and all would be well as they would probably settle into guinea fowl domestic bliss. A couple of months ago I realised that we have a lone female, Cloud, and three hot blooded suitors. One only has eyes for Carol and the other two fight on and off for Cloud who shimmies about the run and is clearly testing out all possible husbands to be.
We have discussed the problem at length. We don’t have a big enough run to breed more guinea fowl and hope that there will be new princesses for the single males in the future. The fighting cannot continue, Cloud needs just one mate. Carol is being harassed and as she is the only hen that’s laying at the moment we want her to have a good time with minimum stress.
We have two options:
Kill and eat two male guinea fowl
Give two male guinea fowl away
Danny baulks at the first proposal, at the moment, and gives the second the thumbs up.
“Even if they were collected to be eaten in the future, I wouldn’t mind as I wouldn’t know.” He also added, “How would we know if Cloud is left with Prince Charming and not the one with goofy teeth – they all look the same to us?”
We have two gentle male guinea fowl that need a new home. Hopefully a home with lonely female guineas that need an occasional cuddle.
If you are interested in giving a home to two free guinea fowl, possibly with goofy teeth, email us through the contact us page. We are based in Cambridgeshire on the Suffolk/Cambs border.
I wonder if this is the first guinea fowl dating agency on the internet?
Leave a reply
Hi Kate
They might well all be killed by our neighbour as they have got very vociferous recently!
It is bonkers not to eat them, but I have found the only way to eat a bird I know is not to know who I am eating.My sister used to keep chickens. I was staying and made a casserole with a bird from the freezer. It looked and smelt fabulous. Just as we were about to eat she said ,” this is made with Henry”. Somehow, it wasn’t the same after that.
Hi Pat
I do hope that we find homes for them too.
Hi Magic Cochin
The trotters are in vis a vie Danny eating them but it is still an option.
Hi Amanda
I enjoy writing about the guinea fowl as I find them so entertaining.
Hi Moonroot,
I feel for Carol too.
Hi Hank
This sounds good. I love cock au vin.
Hi Susie
I didn’t realise that guinea fowl are monogamous. I’ll have to look out my water pistol and mark Cloud’s husband so he is not eaten/given away by mistake.
hat a shame that you live so far away. Danny has offered to investigate the horse transport idea.
Hi Sara
Yes, I totally agree. It’s crazy not to eat them. Taking the first step is hard though. It’s just a matter of time…
Apparently male guinea fowl run after each other in an attempt to win the females attention. It is funny to watch a male guinea fowl running in a straight line after another one, then a few minutes later watching the chaser become the chased as they run in the opposite direction. I’m not sure this really impresses the females. They are just pleased that the males get tired out!!!
Your post made me laugh as I can picture poor Carol being chased by the guinea fowl. Hatty,my lone hen amongst 29 guinea fowl, doesn’t have this problem, she has somehow become the boss of the guinea fowl and me if the truth be known!
I hope that you sort out the guinea fowl dilemma.
Like Danny I too didn’t like the thought of eating my guinea fowl but I think about what Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall once said, that it is rather satisfying eating good quality meat that you know has had a good life and has been fed well and I have to say it is true. I am always proud to eat the lovely succulent guinea fowl casserole, knowing that the guinea fowl has had a great life running up and down our field, eating my vegetables along the way!I now have a policy that if we are raising the guinea fowl for meat, they will enjoy the same life as my breeding guinea fowl and free range in the same place and eat the same food but they will not be named. This helps me to stay a little detached from the birds.
I hope that the guinea fowl find a good home and that the Interblog Guinea Fowl event grows from strength to strength or that you enjoy a hearty meal, although if anyone suggested I eat the first three guinea fowl I had on the farm – Charlie, Camilla and Diana I think I like Danny would not relish the thought.
Good Luck.
The pleasure I have got from reading your posts and watching your relationship with the guinea fowl is great.
Sara from farmingfriends
How frustrating – I could do with 2 more males, since GF are monogamous, and I got more girls than boys last year! But I’m in north Scotland …. know anyone who’s coming up this way?
I did once get a pair of Frizzles delivered in a horse Transport lorry for the cost of a bottle of Malt 😉
Eat them. Guinea fowl make an excellent coq au vin…
Poor Carol. If we were a bit closer I’d think about taking your excess boys, but Suffolk to West Wales is a bit far! Hope you find them good homes.
Absolutely hilarious! Thank you
Are you really sure you can’t do Option 1? Pot roast GF is very good especialy with puy lentils and Suffolk cure bacon.
Celia
Best of luck finding the Prince Charmings new homes Fiona!!! Just love reading about the latest news from the Coop!:)