Tag Archives: Guinea

Guinea Update

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April 20, 2012

Posted by Bill

Guinea update: About 10:30pm last night, Auggie began barking loudly and took off running up the creek bank to the North and disappeared. Just after 11:00pm Auggie scratched the door to come in. I went to the front door, opened it and looked out, no Auggie. I went to the back door, opened it and caught a glimpse of Auggie as he disappeared behind our car. It appeared he was carrying something in his mouth. I called him and he stopped in front of the car and he had another Guinea in his mouth. I yelled at him and he gently placed the Guinea on the ground, sat down, watching the bird and looking towards me. I walked over and the Guinea was soaking wet and cold. I picked up the bird and took it to the cage/holding area and the other two were still in the cage. This Guinea was in perfect condition, just shell-shocked, wet and cold. I placed it in the cage with the other two. Sadly the worst of the three probably won’t make it through the night. I believe Auggie has been vindicated!

Additional Tragedy

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April 19, 2012

Posted by Bill

The temporary repairs made last night did not hold and sadly we lost more of our Guineas. We only have two remaining, and one looks so poor I don’t believe it will survive. The active Guinea is the one that was rescued from the creek by our Auggie earlier last night. He had placed the bird on our front lawn and was headed back to the creek. The Bird had been roughed up a bit, soaking wet, and offered no fight when I picked it up.

My wife Paula believes Auggie is the primary suspect, but, it just doesn’t make sense to me that he would harm or kill several birds, and then rescue one. She thinks I’m just a softy and trying to protect him. The access hole appears to be much smaller than a 71lb dog, and he did not mess with Sonny & Linda’s chickens and guineas when we took him for a visit to their farm. As far as I am concerned, the jury is still out!

Proper repairs were made on the cage/holding area today, with boards screwed into the bottom of the wooden chicken wire support posts below ground level. The chicken wire was then sandwiched between these added boards and additional new boards screwed in securing the wire in place. I’m embarrassed for not thinking in more detail about how to create the cage and also for not taking the time to fabricate the holding area in a more secure fashion.

Not much of a consolation, but I have been told “Stuff happens on a farm”.

TRAGEDY STRIKES CSCF

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April 18, 2012

Posted by Bill

We lost 7 of our new Guineas to a predator last night. We will omit posting the photos of the carnage.  Yesterday, our good friends Sonny and Linda from The Pothole Farm (www.offgridinwv.com) generously assisted us with the creation of the temporary holding area for the Guineas in our Pole Barn. We had strung chicken wire and constructed a roost for them to bed down for the night.

Paula and I (The Newbies) were mostly concerned with keeping the Guineas in the pen so they wouldn’t take off into the wild and disappear, and gave little thought to keeping varmint out. Our newest family member “Auggie Doggie” became the prime suspect since he is a 4-year-old “Bird Dog, Retriever, and Hound” mix.

Prime Suspect

Temporary repairs were made as it was after dark when the Great Guinea Raid was discovered. I will make better repairs tomorrow.

Our new Guineas have arrived

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April 17, 2012

Bill

Today we welcomed our new flock of 12 Guineas to Creek Side Cabin Farm (CSCF).

New Residents 12 Guineas

We picked them up from Two Lynn’s Farm and are hoping they will settle in and become a permanent part of CSCF. We will keep them penned up in the end of the pole barn for about a week to get used to their new home, and then let them out.