Guinea hens?
 

My son here in Pensacola lives in the middle of a 10,000 lot subdivision that was laid out in 1928 and so far has from 5 to 10% of the lots sold. The rest is wilderness with roads and water lines. Needless to say there is a proliferation of critters around. I am wondering what he might get that would help keep away critters other than a large slobbering dog.

Will a guinea hen keep away snakes and other undesirable critters or do they just make a racket whenever things are around?

I think guinea hens might attract some predators like alligators.

Holy crap, 83 yrs and only 10% sold. I think they should get some new salespeople.

Well, maybe but the water is a good quarter to half mile away and the food sources in the water are probably a lot more desirable to a Gator than a guinea hen.

Yeah, I guess that is why it is still relatively un-built up.;)

Guineas taste great!

In Florida you have to look at the wetlands issue in the over-built subdiv's. Lots of violations. After a lot of rain you can smell why -- the septic systems flood.

Guineas are used to rid your yard of insects like ticks. Somehow they can find the smallest insect and eat it.

They tend to get out of the yard, though, so you need a good fence. They don't just wander away, they just wander and there is no telling where they might wind up. They do tend to stay in a flock, though, so when you find one you will find them all.

Peacocks are the best for making noise when a stranger comes up. They also attack but since they are not very bright you have to be careful they don't attack you. They can also fly, but they don't like to. They would rather stand their ground and get into a fight if something tries to attack them.

Geese are good for yard alarm, too. But the guineas, man that's a noise to wake the undead!

There's a flock of Guineas that run loose around the neighborhood where I had my shop. There's even a "Guinea Hen Crossing" sign. It's hard to fence them in because they can fly.
They run loose all winter, I don't know how an African bird can handle snow and near zero temperatures, but they do.
Foxes and raccoons prey on Guineas, so if you get a flock you can look to having those predators stop by more often.
I contemplated getting a few Guineas to take care of the deer ticks, but a friend that had them along with chickens said they don't last long enough to get all the bugs.

I've read and been told that they are the best alarm system money can buy for rural homes. When I was in the sticks I was on the verge of getting a few to alert us to intruders and de-bug the lawn their alerts also keep the chicken flock safe with their alarms. If you have a robust raccoon population they can be toast since they imprint on a roost and the coons easily swipe them off.

Regarding snakes, I'm not sure if they are better than chickens but when my chickens find one they rip em up and chow down. For snakes my money is on a flock of chickens I had a healthy snake population prior to having chickens and post chicken they were rare I witnessed the chickens eating them on several occasions I have to guess that guinea's would do the same...anything kicking snake ass is an asset in my book.

Think they will kill a rattler or a cottonmouth?

guineas evolved on a continent with black mambas. There are lots of guineas in Africa and they are loud and showy. Mambas are secretive.

They are opportunistic carnivores, so my guess in yes.

and my WAG is yes, with authority. Fer de Lance...whole new ball game, I would put one of those against a Cape Buffalo.

If yes, SPIT or SWALLOW ? :D:cool:

I think I told you my colleague's fer de lance story. A fellow grad student was bitten far back into the border of Guatemala with Belize. No treatment. As the evening wore on the pain got so bad that the student begged them to kill him. The student died soon after.

One bird vs fer de lance, the bird is dead. A flock of guineas? The snake is a piquant breakfast.