Guinea fowl sales spike in N.S. as homeowners look for natural tick control
Homeowners in Nova Scotia are increasingly using guinea fowl as a natural method to control tick populations on their properties. While some report success, experts suggest that landscape management remains a more reliable strategy.
Why it matters
As tick-borne diseases like anaplasmosis rise, residents are seeking alternative, non-chemical pest control methods to protect their health and property.
Guinea fowl, which are large, speckled birds related to chickens and turkeys, are known for their voracious appetite for insects and are increasingly being deployed as natural exterminators.
Heather Squires has been raising and supplying guinea fowl near Lunenburg, N.S., for more than 10 years. This year, she's receiving "probably double" her usual number of inquiries for the birds. After selling about 70 keets — baby guinea fowl — she has had to halt sales to sustain a sufficient number for tick control on her own farm.
“We don't see ticks. And this is Lunenburg County," Squires said. "I don't say insofar as we never see a tick, but it's a rare event."
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