I've got some real lonely-hearted poultry in my back yard. There's a single surviving guinea hen left from the original flock of 5. She often crouches in front of us when we approach her from behind. Then there are about 30 young cockerels free-ranging all day, keeping themselves occupied until they get invited in to the dinner table. Some of them are getting old enough & brave enough to try chasing after the laying hens.
This evening I saw one of the cockerels mating with the guinea hen. I don't know if they were able to complete the transaction, but they were certainly trying. The roo-boy was grabbing onto the skin at the back of the guinea's neck & scrabbling around with his back parts trying to find the target. The guinea was crouched down with her wings outspread, but her tail was pointed down instead of up like a chicken hen's would be.
I've heard that guineas & chickens will mate, & even produce offspring. Does it work both ways, with female guinea + male chicken as well as male guinea + female chicken? Are the offspring similar or different depending on the mix? Are they sterile like mules?
Does anyone have photos you could post of these mixed-species birds?
This evening I saw one of the cockerels mating with the guinea hen. I don't know if they were able to complete the transaction, but they were certainly trying. The roo-boy was grabbing onto the skin at the back of the guinea's neck & scrabbling around with his back parts trying to find the target. The guinea was crouched down with her wings outspread, but her tail was pointed down instead of up like a chicken hen's would be.
I've heard that guineas & chickens will mate, & even produce offspring. Does it work both ways, with female guinea + male chicken as well as male guinea + female chicken? Are the offspring similar or different depending on the mix? Are they sterile like mules?
Does anyone have photos you could post of these mixed-species birds?
