I have been keeping a flock of about 20-35 guinea fowl in my groves for the last couple of years. They have been great for controlling insects and keeping rattlesnakes at bay. They are noisey when strangers are near, but if you are out in the country like I am, they aren't that bad since strangers are few and far between. They also keep my lawn nicely manicured and I only mow about once per year (typically to keep the weeds down that aren't eaten by the guineas). I no longer feed them and let them live off the land.

As far as drawbacks, there are only a couple that I think can be mitigated if I did things differently. I raised them in a coop adjacent to my house so next to my house is where they come home to roost every night. 35 guineas running over my roof sounds like thunder every morning and night. I'm also sure it is shortening the lifespan of my roof. If I did things differently I would put my coop away from the house so they don't roost so close. Bird droppings are my other problem and could also be solved by not raising them next to the house. One slight issue which is both good and bad is that their range is much further than my chickens. They do visit my neighbors during the day so that can be a drawback. On the good side, they take care of the insects in my groves where my chickens won't venture that far away from home.

Phillip