confused about Jumbo pearl vs French Pearl

[patti'speeps]

I recently ordered and received 15 Jumbo French Pearl Guinea fowl keets from Purely Poultry. The TSC I work at is now getting in French Pearl Guinea Keets. They are not the jumbo's but I will prob. get some of them anyway. My question is this: There are many conflicting facts out there about the Jumbo type not breeding naturally or the French Pearl for that matter. Can anyone clear up this for me. I currently own a trio of Pearl Guineas and they bred naturally just fine last season. I was hoping to add to my flock this year by ordering the Jumbo's bc I really like the bigger bird. Don't know if I made the right decision now since i've been told the Jumbo's won't breed, and also was told that the French Pearl don't either. When the store ordered the French Pearl keets they were not listed as being the jumbo variety. But when I ordered mine from Purely Poultry they were listed as Jumbo French Pearl keets. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[AquaEyes]

patti'speeps :

I recently ordered and received 15 Jumbo French Pearl Guinea fowl keets from Purely Poultry. The TSC I work at is now getting in French Pearl Guinea Keets. They are not the jumbo's but I will prob. get some of them anyway. My question is this: There are many conflicting facts out there about the Jumbo type not breeding naturally or the French Pearl for that matter. Can anyone clear up this for me. I currently own a trio of Pearl Guineas and they bred naturally just fine last season. I was hoping to add to my flock this year by ordering the Jumbo's bc I really like the bigger bird. Don't know if I made the right decision now since i've been told the Jumbo's won't breed, and also was told that the French Pearl don't either. When the store ordered the French Pearl keets they were not listed as being the jumbo variety. But when I ordered mine from Purely Poultry they were listed as Jumbo French Pearl keets. Any advice would be appreciated.

This advice is not from experience, but just a little interpretation. "French" and "Jumbo" are not registered or standard delineations. I've seen some websites offering "Jumbo" and saying they are as big, or almost as big, as the "French", but breed on their own. I've seen information saying that the "French" birds can breed on their own if they free-range (I am guessing that the increased activity prevents them from getting too big to breed). But the BEST way to know for sure if the birds you are getting can breed on their own is to ask the person breeding them. Someone could have started with birds that were called "French" and he continues to call his offspring "French" but they don't require artificial insemination. Someone else could have started with birds that were called "Jumbo" and he continues to call his offspring "Jumbo" but he uses artificial insemination to breed his birds. So see if the TSC will tell you where the birds are coming from, and try to contact the breeder to find out how their birds are bred. People will say "French need AI and Jumbo don't" but that means little if there is no standard to designate "French" from "Jumbo." A breeder might just have "bigger guineas" and called them "French Jumbo" to cover all bases.



~Chris​

 

[patti'speeps]

Well, the Jumbo Guinea Keets I ordered from Purely Poultry and the French Pearl Guinea Keets that we're getting at TSC are coming from Townline Hatchery. I don't want to tell customers looking for Guineas that the French Pearl will breed naturally if they won't. I've been told by several knowledgable people that the Jumbo Guineas will breed naturally. At a loss here,