Sue Brooks' Blog

Sue Brooks July 12th, 2009

About 3 weeks ago we bought 6 beautiful Guinea Fowl. Our acreage estate here where we live at Dundowran Beach, had been the home for a flock of Guinea’s since before I moved here 10 years ago. The flock usually numbered between 6-8 birds as mortality rate was close to 100% for young ones. Recently the local flock had fallen to just two elderly birds so we decided to augment.

We bought an aviary from Maryborough, dismantled it carted it home and re assembled it. We purchased wood and wire from Bunnings.  Graham unleashed his masterful carpentry skills to build a suitable run and voila we had our new chook pen. The Guinea’s have stayed locked up for 3 weeks to ’settle in’ and yesterday was release day. With some trepidation I unlocked their door early yesterday and we sat and watched as the flock got to know the yard and the two ‘oldies’.

After a while I decided all was well so came into the house. Next think we heard was the sounds of terrified Guinea’s calling. They yell very loudly when frightened. I glanced out the bathroom window to see a bloody fox chasing the birds right across the lawn. Graham and I both ran outside chasing the fox. The fox dropped the Guinea it had chosen for brekky and went in one direction while the poor Guinea went straight out into the forest. Even though we searched several times during the day we could not find her. So the remaining 5 new plus 2 older birds survived and I was ever so relieved when they went back into the chook house last night to roost. The 2 older birds roost in local trees and didn’t join the new birds last night.

This morning I once again ventured into the forest on my way home from the beach and found a sad pile of feathers. Alas it seems the wiley fox did get his dinner. So how do I trap a fox says I?

This morning I am leaving the birds locked in till later in the morning and after my tramping around out the back, I hope the fox is long gone but I live in fear of a return visit. I didn’t think for a second that a fox would be active in the daylight and so brazen. The other sad thing is that we selected 2 paler coloured ‘light grey’ Guinea’s and 4 ordinary speckled ones and it is one of the pale ones that ended up being fox food. So life in down town Dundowran Beach is stressful! I am still very sad to have lost a poor innocent Guinea and very worried now about the remaining Guinea’s safety.

On a happier note on Saturday I visited the Tiaro Landcare Field Day which was excellent. Well worth the trip and I thoroughly enjoyed the stalls, animals, food, beautiful fresh air and wonderful people.

On returning to the Bay I then attended a meeting to gather support to start up a responsible ‘pet adoption’ group. I believe the group is well positioned to make a major impact on our abondened and stray dogs (and maybe cats) problem. The group is committed to responsible money management and will use fostering as the means of caring for animals that need a new home. Another meeting to formalise the name, ready for Incorporation, is scheduled for lunch time next Saturday. If you are keen to help stay tuned. I will post details later in the week.

Council is in trouble again it seems for making life difficult for a builder. Council does have rules and these are designed to protect the community not make life difficult. While bureacratic red tape can be time consuming, expensive and very frustrating, there are usually very good reasons for the rules that we have in relation to building houses. For example if we allow houses to be built on land that can flood then who will get the blame if the house eventually is floooded? I am sure it won’t be the builder it will be Council! If you do run into difficulties with rules that seem unreasonable or unfair contact Councillors so we can be aware of your problems.

Lastly I am thinking about all the negative press Council is receiving about our perceived lack of assistance or leadership in relation to economic development. While I do think that our role is primarily as a facilitator for business development I was thinking yesterday that maybe there is some potential for our region to start targetting ‘green’ industries. Maybe we can find some room in an Industrial area and launch a ‘green zone’ and attract start up sustainable focussed industries here? There was an article in the weekend press about new inventors designing residential wind power generators etc. Now wouldn’t it be good to attract these inventive people to start up there businesses here? I will talk to my fellow Councillors and see what we can do. Transition Towns might be able to help as could our local Chambers of Commerce.

Cheers for now, Sue

Our Guinea Fowl.

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