West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-09-20
Guinea FowIs.


The guinea fowl is native of Africa
nld has never outgrown its wild nature
enough to be closely confined, when bred
for domestic uses. The white and the
pearl are the two varieties most com
monty found in a domestic state. with
propriety the Guinea may be called the
watch dog of the poultry yard lever
watchful and on the alert, ii gives the
note of warning on the first approach OF
danger.
Aside from the warfare thew ware
against various kinds OF insect and yer.
min pests of the farm, they cannot lie
considered Of much pccunIary profit to
the farmer. They arc an ornament to
the farm yard and often prevent the loss
oil other poultry, by giving the alarm Of
approaching danger. Mrs. j. b. Howe.
~ the FdTmeyS' Rc0ier. gives a chat
about them from which we take the
following.
The pearl or spccklcd guinea IS rather
more wild in its habits than the white.
and delights in hiding its nest ia some
lonely and sequestered spot, i'm which il
deposits a large number Of cgg If un-
disturbed, but if the nest of eggs are
n'eddled with, it deserts the nest, and
seeks new one. It's egg require four
weeks to hatch, and the young have all
tte sbyness OF young prairie chickens or
9uails. The ficsh ofthe speckled guinea
~ dark colOred and inclined to drynoss.
On the other hand the white guinea is
quite domestic in its habits. espccjailv
a. reared by chicken hens, add I'm sncii
ctses runs with the chickens and LAYS i'm
tier nests, the same as the hens. They
qever forget the hen that reared fhcrn
nut VIII follow her through thick and
tin, until they are fully grown. and IN
separated from hcr they show a marked
preference for hens Of her color. It's
young Is also Shy and ,en-
der, until say a couple OF weeks old
s'hen, II handed properly, they become
2 hardy as any Of the fowl trbe For
tie first week or two tho Young should
Re fed upon coarse oat meal slightly
stalded ard snlted, or crumbs II stale
tread soaked In milk curd, aud mavbc "a
tlsiic hard boiled cgg. All food slightly
sailed and fed often. Gravel aud r. cen
tender stun, such as lettuce. onion tons
add the like, should also DC mixed with
the food. They should not bc kept TOO
long confined, as their wild nature like
that Of the turkey demands 81 certain
degree OF freedom and liberty 10 search
Tor insects. The flesh of The white
guinea, unlike That of SIS ccklcd rcla-
ton, is yellow aud very tender and tooth.
some. in color they nrc pure white. cx-
cept The head, which is rel Tho lcgs
are yellow Guincas afe very spriehtIy
and walchful fowls. spying a hawk
skunk, weasel, or strange cat or
dog before any Of the other fowls. md
setting up their pccuHa r din to fd. htcu
the intruder and 90 give winning Of II.
approach. They also obscrvcH anrof
the fowls get beyond their Accustomed
limits and fearies8Iy attack them and arr.
sisteutly keep after them urtil fhc wroDv
e rghted. The whteg guinea c.Dcc.aIl,.
e a very fine layer, almost ntaUug rla
Leghorns They beg ncariYaDd loat.rre
on Until many Of the hons have stopped f1
rest They oic quito interesting fowls.
ana lot many re sous amply repay ihg
pains required t0fCu Them. Thrir odd
looks and voice, togo,bc- Wi.l ft.fr Droffy
plumaoc, attract many aiutes. The
male and female ore im "a. in an..er
ancc ana piumage. but ate nsI dis.
hnguishcd Dy their different manner r.,
speaking. The hen calls iu what he
often been said ~ resemble &c crg ol
'Duckwheat, while The ma'o matcs n
sort of whining ound, a.. bob one syllable
and with ono information Guireas grow,
9nd mature rapidly and for br9Hcrs equal
goung chickcns