Guineas on the Loose

Would you like to know why I am walking up the road ditch at 8:30PM in the dark with a flashlight on its last battery? I figured you would...

The weather was supposed to be warmer today so we turned the flock of Guinea Fowl loose this morning. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Usually they hang around the barn, maybe taking a tour of last year's garden or slipping out a little ways into the field. Always, ALWAYS rushing back to the safety of the barn at the first sign of real or imagined trouble. Until today.

I was on my way to pick up Chicken Feed from the mill when Mark called to tell me the Guineas had marched across a 20 acre field, crossed the road and were wandering around the corn field across the road. I thought he was joking. He wasn't. We decided they would return the the barn at chore time and went about our day.

At chore time, we discovered they had left the field for the woods next door. And seemed quite content. Little did they know that the woods is home to coyotes and raccoons. It was determined we would have to encourage them back towards the barn.

The woods is not very big so it took us awhile to sneak in without scaring them farther away and to get behind the group but we managed. I lost one boot in a particularly muddy area when it pulled off my foot and that wouldn't have been much of a problem if I hadn't lost my balance and stepped into a muddy hole with my stocking foot. You know how it is when you are already mid step, fully expecting your boot to take said step with you.... From then on it was hard to sneak cause every other step I took was a sloshy one. At least once, the guineas stopped and cocked their heads trying to figure out the odd sound.

Eventually, we got the group pushed to the road. Just as they headed across a car came flying over the hill which spooked the guineas back into the woods in 14 different directions. 20 minutes later we had them semi rounded up and headed for the road when a neighbor who had been watching decided to give us a hand. It would have been nice if he had approached from behind but I guess he wasn't sure where we were so chose to march right in off the road startling the guineas into fleeing back into the woods. In my efforts to get behind them I tripped over a tree root and landed head first in a multiflora rose bush. I really liked the knit hat I had on but it got so tangled in the stupid bush that I had to leave it. Spring is coming anyway so I shouldn't be needing a hat, right?

Once again we pushed the flock towards the road. Having learned our lesson, Mark went way ahead and called to let me know the coast was clear. The nighbor and I moved quickly and were trying to convince the guineas that they needed to cross the 4 foot high fence and head across the open field they had so bravely marched across earlier. Apparently, they have short memories because they didn't seem to realize they routinely fly over a 10 foot high fence and apparently had absolutely no memory of the big scary field. There was an opening in the fence about 12 feet from where we were so we pushed them to the hole. And through they went!!!

Just in time for another car. Oh. Happy. Day. Back into the woods we all went. Well, back I went. The neighbor decided it was dinner time and he had to go home. Mark stayed at the road and I skipped gaily (yeah, like you believe that) back around the guineas without my hat and in my slurpy sloshy cold footed boot to once again round up the wayward poultry. This time all went well and the guineas slipped across the road, saw the hen house and took off at a dead run. Unfortunately, when I came through the hole in the fence my poor cold foot got tangled up in a strand of old wire and when I tried to catch myself I missed the fence post but the fence post caught the sleeve of my brand new jacket and ripped it half off. I think I can sew it up.

Mark and I followed the guineas across the field and the simple things went right into the barn. I would rather not tell you how long it took us to corral the goofballs. Mark left for his house and I came in to fix supper. After supper I decided I'd better charge my cell phone and that was when I discovered I had no cell phone. So, here I am, retracing my earlier steps waiting for the delightful
sound of my phone's tones. (Mark left a text message which causes the phone to alert every 3 minutes until it's acknowledged. unless, of course it is in a pool of water or the battery is dead...)

Did I mention we also discovered today that our pen of 6 doe ( we thought) rabbits included 2 buck rabbits? Anyone interested in a baby bunny? Or a guinea? Cheap. Cheap.