Guinea talk.

[GlennLee]

Which is the best guinea breed for beginners?

Just my opinion, but I would stay away from the Vulturine guineas to start with as a beginner - they are about $1,600 a piece and require a lot of care. Yikes! I know of someone who raises them in North Carolina, but certainly wouldn't try it in Central New York.

 

[Hillaire]

It sounds like the pearl you mentioned was a pied pearl gray. Here is a picture of my pied. Did it look like this?

that would be them sorry I should mention I am by no means a guinea expert

 

[Hillaire]

That is correct on the pied guineas. To the best of my knowledge this does not occur with any other color combination just the mixing of the white color gene with any solid color gene. The lighter and darker variations are supposedly due to the DSV factor (Dark Shade Variance).

oh ok, I guess I thought since it happened with pearl and white it could occur with other color variances. I am by no means an expert when it comes to color variances lol

 

[guineapeeps]

that would be them sorry I should mention I am by no means a guinea expert

No need to apologize! I've had mine for 4 years and I'm still learning new stuff all the time! That's what these threads are for!

 

[Hillaire]

I have a hard enough time determining the sex of mine... right now I think I either have 1 male and 3 females or vice versa lol

 

[guineapeeps]

I have a hard enough time determining the sex of mine... right now I think I either have 1 male and 3 females or vice versa lol

The best way to tell them apart is by the different sound that they make. I posted this last week but thought it might be helpful in deciding what sex of guineas you have, so thought I'd post it again.

2 syllable female call:

1 syllable male guinea call:

 

[GlennLee]

I have a hard enough time determining the sex of mine... right now I think I either have 1 male and 3 females or vice versa lol

They can fool you, for sure! The easiest to id are the females because of the two syllable "buckwheat" sound - to me it's more of a "come back" and they tend to repeat it over and over again. If they are quiet, it's hard to tell. I thought one of mine with big wattles was a male for the first 6 months - she was very quiet and then I saw and heard her doing the buckwheat sound.

In the beginning, I had 16 guineas and couldn't even tell them apart. Now I'm down to 12, they all have names and I know who's who. Other people can't tell the difference. It just takes time and patience.

Another thing I've noticed, but I haven't read this anywhere to confirm my observations, is that the males are the only ones that make a two syllable whistle that sounds like "sur-real". I can make this sound and can get them to talk back to me. At this point, I have only had my males make this sound. The females will do a high pitched one syllable "chip" (as will the males) and then they all go it together to do their machine gun warning sound.

Hope this doesn't confuse the issue for you.

 

[MartinsPoultry]

Mine do the same Glenlee, to me it almost sounds like they are saying "who me?" And i would talk to them constantly as keets and they would make it specially if they did something naughty like dumping their waterer and food and momma caught them. Still to this day they make it, my boys more then the girls. Charlie is most famous for it specially when i am getting cuddles from him. While getting an earful from Blue, Echo and Delta and the other girls. They hate it when I have him because he is the top dog, Blue will charge him but backs down instantly when Charlie has had enough of his shenanigans.

 

[Hillaire]

yeah I have heard about the 2 syllable thing but my guineas can be pretty quiet unless the wild turkeys or deer or predators come near the coop. I love my guineas especially since they tip me off on what may be prowling about they've helped with predator control twice now.

 

[MartinsPoultry]

Heres a concerned question.
Ive noticed this passed week Zelda one of the new girls has lost her voice completely, she tried to call and its so sad she cant. Could she have a cold? Her nose isnt running and she looks alert just cannot call.