Got my first guineas! What color and sex are they?

[watchdogps]

I got my first guineas. I think they are about a year old. I expected regular color, but they are a silvery grey. What color is this? Also, can you tell from the pic what sexes they are?

 

[Elphaba2140]

My guess is Lavender hens.

 

[cracking up]

I agree, but if they're younger than a year they could be males.

 

[GuineaLady93]

They are lavender females. And they do look around a year or so. Very pretty!!

 

[racuda]

They should be laying somewhere. Are they penned up or free ranged?

 

[watchdogps]

They were housed in a coop with chickens. They said they hadn't gotten any eggs, but I also get the impression that the guines wrent very content in their living arrangements.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
You might not get any eggs till next year in the spring. Right now egg laying season is tapering off here on the west coast, according to my friends that have flocks. My flock is too young right now.

Have you listened to them call? If they say Buck Wheat then they are females. And Believe me there is NO mistaking what they are saying.... they say it LOUD and and Over and over and over again.... Though some people say they are saying Butt Crack.....

or Come Back.... My juveniles started Buck Wheat ing by the time they had their feathers and before their wattles even grew much less turned pink.

 

[watchdogps]

I don't really know. I got them yesterday and only had about an hpur to spend at the house. We are still moving in so we don't live there yet. I do know they did make some very loud distress calls and I felt like I was at a zoo!

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote:
I agree, they are Lavenders. I'd say the left one is a male because of the larger fleshy raised red bump on it's nostrils, the right bird's is smaller so I'd guess that one to be a Hen.

If those are white feathers on the left bird's chest/breast it is a Pied Lavender, and it should have some white flight feathers too.

Wattle size and shape are not always a good indicator of sex, they can be small and lay flat on a male and be large, cupped and floppy on a Hen. They can also be misshapen or asymmetrical on either sex.

The casques on both birds look damaged... that usually happens from hitting the roof of their coop/pen or cage, but in my flocks most of my adult males do have a taller/larger casque then the adult Hens do.

The males will stand taller, more upright and be more alert of the surroundings than a Hen will be. Hens generally have a lower posture/stance and usually have a noticeable bustle at their back end, a raised hump on the tail area between the wings.

And as mentioned below, only the Hen will make the 2-syllable buck-wheat call.

Congrats on your pair of Guineas

 

[watchdogps]

Thanks for all the great descriptions! I def have lavenders, and I think one of each sex. I still haven't heard them call, really. We were out at the house all day and the only time they made niose is when I would leave them! I'm not going to kid myslef and say they wanted my company, but it was funny. When I would leave the barn they would put up a big ruckus! My hubby met them and thinks they are pretty cool - calls them jurrassic park birds.