As tick populations continue to expand in Canada, more residents in Nova Scotia are seeking solutions to safeguard their properties. One unconventional ally in this battle is the guinea fowl, a noisy and peculiar bird known for its hearty appetite for insects.
Heather Squires, a guinea fowl breeder in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, has seen a surge in interest for these birds, with demand doubling this year compared to previous years. Due to the heightened interest, she has temporarily halted sales to ensure an adequate number for tick control on her own farm.
Despite being located in Lunenburg County, an area known for ticks, Squires mentioned that tick sightings have become rare on her property. This trend is mirrored by new breeders such as Phalen MacLean from New Glasgow, who observed a notable decrease in the local tick population after introducing a small flock of 13 guinea fowl.
The increase in tick-related concerns is further underlined by the fact that Nova Scotia was identified as having the highest tick presence in Canada last year. Anaplasmosis, a tick-borne disease, has also been on the rise among animals over the past decade.
While guinea fowl have been historically used for tick control, Bruce Rathgeber, a professor at Dalhousie University, emphasized that their effectiveness in curbing tick populations is still a topic of debate. He suggested that while these birds can serve as a supplementary method for tick control, other strategies like landscape management may be more reliable in the long run.
Guinea fowl are known for their loud nature and breeding challenges in captivity, as highlighted by MacLean. To address some of these challenges, Squires recommended training the birds to return to a secure indoor space at night and emphasized their advantage over chickens in bug control without damaging vegetation.
Both breeders stressed the importance of providing adequate space for guinea fowl to roam freely and advised potential owners to consider their yard size and surroundings before acquiring these birds. Additionally, living near busy roads poses a threat to guinea fowl due to their lack of road awareness.
In conclusion, guinea fowl are being increasingly recognized for their potential role in tick control efforts in Nova Scotia, offering a natural and quirky solution to combat the growing tick populations in the region.