Four years ago Roz's friends the Guinea Fowl were introduced to Grand Cru Estate. Guinea fowl are game birds, thought to have originated in Guinea, West Africa.

They are amazing creatures who roam the Estate foraging on unwanted pests such as Earwigs, Millipedes, Grasshoppers and Weevils. It is also a sight to see them eating weed seeds such as couch grass in seed. They run their beaks along like a cob of corn! Because of their loud squawk, they were also valued as watch animals. If there is a stranger or intruding dog or fox they let rip with a loud alarming squawk different to their "happy" chatter. Peter was amazed one morning during a walk. He heard the Guinea Fowl squawking a warming so he investigated in the vineyard to find that they had baled up a fox! They kept the stunned creature there until Peter "made it dissappear"!

We have started a breeding program, one which is quite a challenge because the Guinea Fowl are not good parents! We gather their eggs, incubate, hatch and raise. The Keets then start "flight school" in a pen where they can start to fly but if they miss their selected limb of the pine tree we can pop them back into their safe pen at night. Again it is quite a sight to watch a little ones through their adolescence! Once they have strong wings they fly up into trees at night on their own and safely sleep till morning when they begin their grazing again.

Young Guinea Fowl are available FOR SALE.

 Baby day old Keet  Busy in the Vineyard