Customer Reviews

Gardening with Guineas: A Step-By-Step Guide to Raising Guinea Fowl on a Small Scale

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Whatever a person's reason for keeping guinea fowl, this is a 'must have' book to be read and kept close at hand during one's guinea venture. I find myself going back to it again and again. It is both readable and extensive in its content, and the only contemporary book that presents a clear and concise method for successfully raising this unique and fascinating bird.

As a poultry farm and hatchery owner, I suggest this book for anyone interested in rasing the wonderful guinea fowl. Ms. Ferguson has created a wonderful guide to hatching, raising, problem-solving, and living with guineas on a small scale. It is truly a must read. I have read nearly all published works on the guinea fowl and find this one to be very informative yet lively and easy to understand.

I have just become aquainted with a guinea fowl. He flew over the fence and decided to live with us. As we have been adopted by this beautiful bird of immense character I needed to do research, and this little book proved to be a fountain of knowledge, a gem and a must for every guinea fowl owner.
Gardening with Guineas is a wonderful book. It takes you on a journey giving clear simple information about the bird. The guineas life from the egg through to adulthood is thoroughly explained . The options owners have and the care guineas require is thoroughly explained. The problems owners can face and the solutions are all fully discussed. The amusing entertaining character of this special bird beautifully unfolds and when you reach the end of this book ignorance is replaced by enlightnement and understanding.

Gardening with Guineas by Jeaneette S. Ferguson

I purchased this book for the simple reason, that there just aren't any other books out there dedicated to hatching, brooding, raising and managing guinea fowl.

If you're a back yard poultry enthusiast and are considering adding Guineas to your flock, or have some curiosity as to what is involved in keeping these semi-wild birds, then this is a pretty good resource for you.

If you're the sort of poultry person, who needs an exhaustive reference and would like to delve into the natural history of the guinea fowl, then this is not the book for you.

Throughout this small book, you will find several interesting black and white photographs, accompanied by some very basic illustrations that a beginner would certainly appreciate.

Roughly 25 pages of the book are questions and answers from the author's website, where members are invited to post questions and receive answers from other members or the author. Quite a chunk, considering the entire book is only 131 pages.

There is a section regarding guinea recipes, as these birds are desired as gormet fare. However, there are no detailed guidelines regarding the slaughter, dressing out and safe keeping of guinea remains destined for a culinary end.

Overall, I did like the book, filled with simple, direct, grass roots advise for the beginner. I recommend it as a good read, prior to buying in any guinea keets (baby guineas).

To fill in the gaps, you may want to also own a good book regarding the raising of chickens. As the book aptly points out, guineas are NOT chickens and have special dietary and housing considerations for the small flock tender.

This book is an wonderful source of information for all there is to know about raising and caring for guinea fowl. The book covers everything imaginable, including common problems and proper housing. Gardening with Guineas is well organized and includes many helpful illustrations. It even has a poem about guineas! ;)

I purchased this book with great expectations based upon the glowing reviews of others. Though a decent source of information about raising guineas, the book often left me frustrated and confused. For example, contrary to Ms. Ferguson's experience, neither I nor anyone I've talked to has had any success moving guinea nests. Also, when discussing raising young keets, the author states, "it would be a good idea to provide an optional heat source for the keets in the henhouse on really cold days or nights until they are older." What is "really cold" and what is "older"? On numerous occasions I've searched this book for help with specific problems and gotten only vague information that left the question unanswered.

My experience has taught me, 1. Guineas can be raised exactly like chickens and 2. Don't try to move a guinea nest. Just invert a cage on top of the setting hen, give her food and water, and let her hatch and raise her brood right there.

This easy to read guide successfully details the ease and advantages to raising guinea fowl for both hobby gardeners and poultry fanciers alike. It is also one of the only books on the market that provides complete information on the life cycle of guineas, as well as rasing them from egg to breeding adults. Ms. Ferguson draws from her own experiences to tackle most problems that the reader may occur when keeping these great "buggers." A must read for those who keep back yard flocks!

Since I just started raising Guineas, this book was very informative. I finally know how to tell males from females and learned a lot of their quirks, too. Very good format and simple to understand.

I got this book before my keets arrived, having read it in it's entirety. It is written in a easy to read format and gives the reader an accurate picture of what life with guineas will be like. Now that I am the proud owner of these wonderful birds, I still find myself going back to this book everyday. It is a must have for anyone considering gardening with guineas.

Even if you already own guinea fowl, Gardening With Guineas is the end all reference for raising this unique member of the bird family. When I purchased 24 of these birds in 2004, the farmer I received them from gave me some advice on raising them. Several other so called "experts" also had their advice. By Spring of 2005 only 12 remained. That's when I purchased this great book, and doubled my flock size to the original 24, plus 5! All by reading and following the complete suggestions provided by this talented author.

This year, not only is my property bug free (my original reason for getting these birds) but now I have hatching eggs for sale, keets for sale, eggs for eating, and adult birds available to those who also wish to get started on their way to bug-free living in America.

Guinea Fowl are very fond of eating the Deer Tick, which carries Lyme Disease. That alone is the number one reason for owning a few.

Prove it to yourself, get the book, learn all there is to know from an expert. Make up your own mind. You won't be disappointed in your decision to grab this book right away!