2O4 



OUR DOMESTIC BIRDS 



poultry, but the adult birds are so noisy and vicious that very 

 few people want them near the house or with other poultry. 

 They would not be tolerated as much as they are but for the 

 traditional notion that their noisy clamor keeps hawks away. 

 Many farmers keep a few guineas, supposing that they are of 

 service in this way. Those who have tried to find out whether 

 the noise of the guinea really has any effect on hawks say that 

 the hawks are just as bad where there are guineas as where 



there are none. 



The only way that 

 guineas can be made 

 profitable is by treating 

 them as half-wild birds 

 letting them establish 

 themselves in the woods 

 where they can maintain 

 themselves and then 

 shooting or trapping a 

 part of the flock each 

 season. The number of 

 guineas now produced 



FIG. 166. White guinea hen with brood j n thig way ig steadily in _ 



creasing in many parts of the United States where the winters 

 are not severe and where wild animals which prey upon game 

 birds are kept in subjection. 



Management of domestic guineas. As has been stated, guineas 

 are so hard to control that few persons try to keep them in close 

 quarters or where they must have particular attention. When a 

 few birds are kept on a farm, they are usually allowed to wander 

 at will ; the owner secures as many of their eggs as he can find 

 before they spoil, and perhaps hatches a few of them under 

 hens, for the guinea hens often lay a long time without going 

 broody. As they are prone to hide their nests and are very clever 

 in eluding observation, it not infrequently happens that, when a 



