Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 245, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 October 1912 — POULTRY [ARTICLE]

POULTRY

RAISING GUINEA FOWL. Easily Raised and a Useful Addition - to the Farm. The great objection to the Guineas la their wild nature, but the control Of the flock depends upon the beginning made. The beat plan It to buy eggs instead of fowls, and put the eggs under a chicken hen. When the guinea eggs have been under the hen a week, add two or three hen’s eggs, and the chicks will hatch at the same time as the eggs of the guineas, as the latter require four weeks for incubation. The young chicks will obey the hen, and the young guineas will follow their example, with the result that the guineas will remain with the other fowls as they grow, and go into the poultry house to roost with the hens. Guineas so raised will be tame and can be better managed. The guinea is most active of all feathered foragers, and is capable of destroying many insects. They quickly notice strange persons or animals, and will at once make sufficient alarm to warn their owner, and they can see the hawk long before he can reach the barnyard. The guinea hens are very prolific, and lay during the entire summer, but will hide their nests, attracting attention to them however, by making noise, which assists the farmer to secure the eggs. They are usually hardy, self supporting in summer, and will roost in the trees near the house, if they do hot go into the poultry house. Their eggs are rich, and the nests are usually well filled. The guinea may be said to be a semigame bird. Its flesh has a gamy flavor, and it is considered by some as a domesticated wild bird. There Is an opportunity in some localities for establishing a trade in guineas by educating customers to the excellence of their flesh and the high quality of their eggs.—lndiana Farmer.