Guinea Fowl Gender Clues

silkie1472

Songster
Dec 28, 2016
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Good evening, all!

Here is a recent picture of my guinea fowl. I’m still at a loss as to what sex they are. Being they are so vocal, I cannot distinguish a “buck-wheat” from “buck” as they “talk” so fast. They honestly sound different at times, but then again, they are two different varieties. Physically, the pied one has wattles that go outward, where the pearl one’s wattles don’t go out at all — but they are the same size...

Anyways, I would like to get some opinions as to what they could be; however, I’m aware that physical appearance is a poor indicator of gender.
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They should be old enough to voice sex. Have you heard video of the “buck-wheat” call? It’s unmistakable. Both sexes will make several other one syllable calls; one-syllable meaning that they make the same sound over and over again. I call the alarmed one-syllable calls “machine gun”, like a rat-rat-rat call. There are also insect-like, chittering calls. Nesting girls make more sounds, like a “seagull” call. However, your birds will be making the one syllable calls for either sex. The girls though will buck-wheat a lot. Listen for that, then try to identify which bird(s) is making the call. Just for fun, I’m going to bet that your two are both hens, but my guess means nothing without voice sexing them.

Here’s a juvenile hen buckwheating:


and a cock “chittering” (females can also make a similar call but probably not in the territorial way that this guy is acting as she’d probably be buckwheating in this situation)


if your guineas are watchdogs, like mine are, then you want to listen for their alarm call. This video is somewhere in the mid-range of concern. If I heard this from mine, I’d look out the window or unhurriedly wander out to see what’s up. They might have seen a hawk-like bird at some distance, or someone might be pulling into my driveway. Full alarm sounds machine gun like to me, with no softer down notes mixed in with the fast, harsh, guttural calls. If I hear that from our adults (juveniles alarm for things like a bag blowing in the wind!) then I come running. If I can find what’s upset them, it’s been a snake eating their eggs, a loose dog, a hawk, or a bobcat.
 
I am of the opposite opinion.
The "buck-wheat" (I honestly find it sounds more like "buh-kee") call of a female is very distinct and unmistakable. If you haven't heard it yet, you likely have two males. Also, while not definitive, those wattles are large. On birds that age, in my experience, they are male. I have had birds with smaller wattles turn out to be male, but never ones with large wattles turn out to be female. This is of course all just my personal experience, I am sure there are others who wouldn't feel the same!
 
If I had to wager a guess just from looking at them I would say the normal color is male and this is just a guess mind you. The other, I'm leaning toward female. I've learned that, with my Guineas at least, the wattles tend to be short, large rounded and far with he makes and more triangular and a lot thinner on females but that is just my experience. That's why the wattles aren't a sure tell. The voice is however. It is truly the best way to tell them apart. Until they lay an egg or you hear their voice everything else is pretty much an educated guess. BTW, they are beautiful guinea fowl!
 
I am of the opposite opinion.
The "buck-wheat" (I honestly find it sounds more like "buh-kee") call of a female is very distinct and unmistakable. If you haven't heard it yet, you likely have two males. Also, while not definitive, those wattles are large. On birds that age, in my experience, they are male. I have had birds with smaller wattles turn out to be male, but never ones with large wattles turn out to be female. This is of course all just my personal experience, I am sure there are others who wouldn't feel the same!
I, too, believe they are males. They’re not even full grown yet. I have 8 more coming later this year though so hopefully I’ll get some females then.
 

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