Our Battle
When we first encountered Lyme and the associated diseases, we realized the magnitude of the problem. We started doing everything we could to try to prevent tick bites and the resulting disease. I read that Guinea Fowl and Chickens provided an excellent means of controlling insects without having to wage chemical warfare in your back yard.
I went to the township and checked the animal control ordinances. At that time (around 1999) we were in complete compliance for both Guinea Fowl and for Chickens. We started a small flock of Guineas and purchased 5 Rhode Island Red chickens.
Things went well. The insect population near our home took a dramatic downturn. We fenced the property to keep the deer out which also allowed us to keep the chickens on the property for the most part. We did not clip the wings of the guinea fowl due to the number of predators. Some people train the guineas to roost every night in a hutch. The problem for us is that we aren't always home to lock up at dusk which means they are vulnerable to raccoons, possums and other predators.
Comply or else
This summer, we received a 'comply or else' letter from our code enforcement officer. It wasn't a citation, but it looked like one. We were shocked to say the least. On speaking with the township manager we found that the township code was recently revised. There is now an almost total ban on guinea fowl and chickens.
My wife got over 30 signatures from the immediate neighbors who all signed stating that they wanted the birds to stay.
At the township meeting (September 2003) we spoke to the board and provided 12 pages of documentation about
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The seriousness of tick borne disease
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The effectiveness of guinea fowl in reducing tick populations (the Duffy study)
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The fact that we would need over 3 1/2 tons of insecticide per year to try to control the ticks on our property.
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That most of the neighbors in the immediate area were in support of the birds
Some of the township supervisors seemed to be unsure of why the code was changed or even if they had voted on a provision that would ban Guinea Fowl. It turns out that the township has a 'codifier' who 'helps revise the code'. In other words, the township used a sample ordinance from a company called General Code located in New York. General Code says that municipalities need to make sure that all of the code applies to their particular situation.
One of the supervisors tried to make a motion to revise the ordinance to allow for guinea fowl and chickens. The Chair did not allow a vote at that time.
We provided some additional information to the township including:
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A letter from an Associate Professor of Poultry Science at Penn State University testifying to: the effectiveness of Guinea Fowl in controlling insects, the fact that they are relatively disease free and that they are not aggressive.
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The results of the Duffy Study done on the estate of Billy Joel and Christy Brinkley. The Effectiveness of Helmeted Guineafowl in the Control of the Deer Tick, the Vector of Lyme Disease
The Bucks County Courier interviewed us and did a front page article on us in October. That seems to have generated some calls to the supervisors in support of our position. About three weeks later the Philadelphia Inquirer did an article that appeared on the front page of the local section.
How this applies to you:
We are determined to win this battle. The effects of Lyme and associated diseases have had a severe impact on our family. The birds helped reduce the ticks to somewhat of a manageable level. We are both being treated my Dr. Bach of Colmar, Pa. The out of pocket medical expenses are staggering.
What you can do
Make sure that your township doesn't blindly adopt a new code. If you currently have Guinea Fowl or Chickens you could find that they have become illegal overnight.
Try to educate your local, state and federal legislators and authorities. You can't fight Lyme with an imaginary vaccine.
Contact your local government and voice your support for the Guinea Fowl as an effective means of controlling tick populations.
Current Status
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As of October 2003
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The supervisors are still reviewing the situation
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We are allowed to keep the birds until they make a decision
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We have retained an attorney
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