Northern New York has one of the highest Lyme disease rates in the entire country. At Heron Bay Cliffs, we're tackling the problem at the source — with a flock of natural, free-range tick predators.
Nature's Tick Patrol
Guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) are remarkable birds native to Africa that have been celebrated for centuries as some of the most effective natural predators of ticks, spiders, and other ground-level insects. Unlike chickens, guinea hens are relentless foragers — they sweep through grass and underbrush in a methodical, wave-like pattern, consuming virtually every tick, flea, and insect in their path.
A single guinea hen can consume up to 4,000 ticks in a single day. A modest flock of a dozen birds working a property consistently through the season can dramatically reduce tick populations — and with them, the risk of Lyme disease transmission to humans, dogs, livestock, and wildlife.
At Heron Bay Cliffs Shepherds Rescue, Inc., our Anatolian Shepherd × NAID livestock guardian dogs spend significant time outdoors. Reducing tick exposure for our rescue animals, our volunteers, and our rural Northern New York community is not just a nicety — it is a direct extension of our animal welfare mission.
Our guinea hen flock represents what we call secondary mission work: practical, habitat-based public health action that flows naturally from caring deeply about the land and the animals who share it.
Guinea hens are voracious insectivores. A small flock can patrol several acres of property, consuming ticks at every life stage — nymph, larva, and adult.
Guinea hens provide an entirely organic, pesticide-free tick management strategy — safe for children, pets, pollinators, and the broader ecosystem.
Our rescue dogs and poultry flock coexist safely under the watch of our guardian dogs. Guinea hens are hardy, alert birds that integrate naturally into a working farm environment.
Beyond eating ticks, guinea hens serve as living alarm systems — their loud calls alert the farm to predators, keeping the whole property safer.
Lyme Disease in Northern New York
The facts every Northern New Yorker should know
Adult blacklegged ticks remain active whenever temps exceed 35°F — do not let your guard down in mild winter conditions.
Our Flock at Heron Bay Cliffs
Where rescue work and tick prevention meet
Our core flock includes classic Pearl Grey guinea fowl — the most common variety and among the most aggressive tick hunters. These birds patrol the property perimeter and meadow edges daily.
Primary Patrol FlockHeron Bay Cliffs maintains a small breeding group year-round. Fertile hatching eggs and keets (baby guinea hens) are available seasonally to property owners interested in natural tick management.
Eggs & Keets AvailableOur Anatolian Shepherd × NAID livestock guardian dogs protect the guinea flock from aerial and ground predators — making coexistence between the rescue dogs and the poultry program possible.
LGD ProtectedThe guinea hen program at Heron Bay Cliffs is inseparable from our core rescue mission. Every rescue dog that joins our property benefits from reduced tick exposure. Every volunteer who walks our land does too. And every neighbor who visits or takes home hatching eggs carries that protection with them.
We view Lyme disease prevention as an animal welfare issue. Dogs contract Lyme disease. Wildlife suffers from tick burdens. The connection between a healthy tick-managed property and healthy rescued animals is direct and measurable. This is not a side project — it is mission-aligned work.
Our poultry program is managed in coordination with our broader agricultural operations at Heron Bay Cliffs, which also includes heritage-breed chickens, turkeys, and orchard management. The guinea hen flock is the cornerstone of our integrated tick management approach.
How You Can Help
Support tick prevention and rescue animal welfare in Northern New York
Your donation helps cover feed, housing, veterinary care, and expansion of the guinea hen flock. Every dollar supports natural tick control that protects our rescue animals and community.
Donate NowStart your own guinea hen flock with eggs or keets from our breeding program. Guinea hens are the most cost-effective, chemical-free tick control available for rural and suburban properties.
Poultry ProgramShare this page with your neighbors, your local community board, your vet, or your town's social media groups. Lyme disease prevention is a community effort — and guinea hens are still an underutilized tool.
Contact UsHeron Bay Cliffs Shepherds Rescue, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All donations are tax-deductible. We use Zeffy — a platform that charges donors zero platform fees, meaning 100% of your donation reaches us.
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Protect Your Own Property
If you live in Northern New York — or anywhere in the tick-heavy Northeast — guinea hens may be the most practical step you can take toward reducing Lyme disease risk on your land. A flock of 6–10 birds can effectively patrol 2–4 acres and will dramatically reduce tick populations within a single season.
Guinea hens are low-maintenance compared to chickens. They prefer to roost in trees, forage independently, and require minimal supplemental feed beyond what they find in the field. A basic predator-proof coop for nighttime shelter and a reliable water source are the primary requirements.
They do have a learning curve — guinea hens are loud (a genuine asset as a predator alarm), not fond of being handled, and require some patience in training them to return to the coop at night. But for property owners willing to invest a little time, few tools are as effective or as naturally elegant.
Heron Bay Cliffs offers hatching eggs and keets seasonally through our poultry program. We can also provide basic husbandry guidance for first-time guinea hen keepers. Visit our poultry page or email us to inquire about availability.
Community Resources
Trusted information on Lyme disease prevention and tick safety
The CDC's comprehensive Lyme disease resource covers symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and surveillance data. Includes current maps of tick distribution and reported Lyme disease cases by county and state.
Visit CDC Lyme ResourceThe New York State Department of Health provides state-specific Lyme disease statistics, tick identification guides, prevention guidance for New Yorkers, and information on reporting tick bites and suspected Lyme infections.
NY State Lyme ResourcesNew York State operates an active tick surveillance program that monitors tick populations and Lyme disease prevalence across the state. This resource includes county-level tick submission data and tick identification services.
Tick Surveillance DataCornell Cooperative Extension offers research-based, regionally specific guidance on tick management for homeowners, farmers, and land managers in New York State — including integrated pest management approaches and habitat modification.
Cornell Extension Resources