Guinea talk.

[pattyhen]

Okay, so I have trouble getting my dog to go for a ride in the car and you have your guineas going to Walmart! That is hysterical. Your husband is brave to try that alone. I think Mary Jane just wanted to learn to drive. I'll bet you could work with them to pass the driver's permit test. They are amazing!

I know I can't believe they went to Walmart with him. He said Mary Jane was in the drivers seat when he come back out so evidently she did want to learn how to drive. I dont think Spiderman should get his license.

He would be running people off the roads just to tease them.

 

[guinealeghorn]

You would probably have good luck with the straw tunnels, Rhea.  Your guineas are already laying in wheelbarrows and let you move their nests.  It's also helped to create some safe places for a quick getaway when being picked (or pecked) on!

Yes and yes... on the pictures and videos.  The differences are subtle and it's easier to tell when you see the two varieties together, but the vidoes with "Newbies" in the title are of the regulars or I guess "domestics" as they are called.  The 3rd video of all of them chilling on the floor of the barn starts with a pan of the French Guineas and then the domestics are the last 4 on the floor.  There is a male French hanging out on part of the straw bale.  Both the domestics and French are of the pearled variety, but the French are a bit bigger, they don't fly well - preferring to hop up on things and sometimes gliding down.  And for me they are MUCH quieter.  Again, I don't know if it's because I raised the French from keets and the domestics were integrated when they were about 4 months old, or if there are truly differences because of the variety. 

In the pictures, the four domestics are on the straw bales (there's one French joining them in the first pic).  The domestics tend to go higher, have more energy, and like to pace the bales and along the roost.  They would also roost on the crossbeams if we hadn't blocked them.  My French just look up from down below and if you could read their minds I think they would be saying, "What are you? Crazy?  Get down from there!"

I just found a site that sells Lavender French Guineas, but you have to buy 30 keets!  I didn't want to commit to that many and am hoping to have my own French pearled keets here before too long.  Perhaps if I had some of the neighbors sharing them, I would purchase them in another year.  The hatchery isn't selling eggs at this point, but they are planning to make them available in a couple of years, so I might just wait it out and purchase eggs. 

I think your domestics would still be noisy if you had raised tthem as keets. I raised my pearl gray guineas from keets, and they are screaming at the tops of their lungs all the time!

 

[MartinsPoultry]

Hey Everyone, Christy here with a funny story and an update with more feathered kids.
I went to feed everyone the other night and Charlie our top male Guinea had stepped in the Turkeys feed bowls blocking our dominant tom from the spot he wanted to eat from. The tom gently picked up Charlie by the nape of his neck, not a squeal or sound from Charlie, took him out of the bowl and placed him at the small birds feeding dish then turned around to continue to eat himself. I got a good giggle out of it and I am sure Charlie didn't think so.

Also as an early birthday gift James is letting me get 2 female Guineas from a friend. She is the one who has sold us duck eggs and ducklings. And she is not charging us to much for sub-adults who are the same size as our guys and gals now. We are picking them up tomorrow as she has them running around the 25 acres she owns.

We are thinking of naming them Foxy, short for Foxtrot and Juliette. Kind of sticking with a Military theme since the rest are named in a non-intentional Military way. And we are sad to say our Sweet-grass hen isn't acting right and maybe passing away soon. All she is doing now is sleeping and perching, even when we let them out she stays inside the coop.

 

[pattyhen]

Cute story I'm glad the turkey had patience with the guinea. Thats great your getting two more female guineas. I hope everybody gets along with them. I love the names, you sound like me you name your birds before you even get them.

I'm sorry to hear about your hen being sick. That is always so sad when you don't know what to do for them. If only they could tell us what is wrong.

Spiderman and Mary Jane run in the door now that it has gotten colder. They stayed in about 2 hours today. My husband put a bowl of ice cream down for them and Spiderman didn't want it but when the dog come up to eat it he started his machine gun voice. He didn't want the dog to eat it either. I got them some mealworms and they won't eat them. They are so picky about what they eat. I've always read that guineas love millet and mealworms. They won't eat either one. Mary Jane does like the black sunflower seeds I've noticed her picking those out of the food bowls.

I hope everyone has a nice evening.

 

[MartinsPoultry]

Oh thats funny they don't like mealies, mine wont touch bugs at all they yell at them, but adore spaghetti noodles and egg noodles.
Well right after I posted this we got a hold of my friend and she is giving us 3 for $10 which I honestly couldn't pass up.

 

[guineapeeps]

Cute story I'm glad the turkey had patience with the guinea.  Thats great your getting two more female guineas.  I hope everybody gets along with them.  I love the names, you sound like me you name your birds before you even get them.  

I'm sorry to hear about your hen being sick.  That is always so sad when you don't know what to do for them.  If only they could tell us what is wrong.  

Spiderman and Mary Jane run in the door now that it has gotten colder.  They stayed in about 2 hours today.  My husband put a bowl of ice cream down for them and Spiderman didn't want it but when the dog come up to eat it he started his machine gun voice.  He didn't want the dog to eat it either.  I got them some mealworms and they won't eat them.  They are so picky about what they eat.  I've always read that guineas love millet and mealworms.  They won't eat either one.  Mary Jane does like the black sunflower seeds I've noticed her picking those out of the food bowls.  

I hope everyone has a nice evening.

My guineas won't touch mealworms either and they are very particular about their millet. They used to like any kind of white millet but then I bought them this bag of parakeet food at walmart for a treat. It's mostly white millet with orange essence. I included a picture of the bag in case anyone wants to try it. My guineas go crazy for it and now they won't eat any other treats!

 

[pattyhen]

Oh thats funny they don't like mealies, mine wont touch bugs at all they yell at them, but adore spaghetti noodles and egg noodles.
Well right after I posted this we got a hold of my friend and she is giving us 3 for $10 which I honestly couldn't pass up.

That's a great deal on the guineas. You can't beat that price. I hope everyone gets along with them.

Spiderman and Mary Jane will eat spaghetti and macaroni and they love boiled eggs. That are the only treats I have seen them eat.

Take pics of your new guineas if you have a chance I would love to see them.

 

[pattyhen]

My guineas won't touch mealworms either and they are very particular about their millet. They used to like any kind of white millet but then I bought them this bag of parakeet food at walmart for a treat. It's mostly white millet with orange essence. I included a picture of the bag in case anyone wants to try it. My guineas go crazy for it and now they won't eat any other treats!

I'm glad my guineas aren't the only ones that won't eat millet and mealworms. I'll have to get them some of that parakeet seed and see if they like it. They are a lot pickier then my ducks and chickens.

 

[MartinsPoultry]

So we got the new girls this morning they went in with the Guinea squad and Delta immediately bonded with them which is fabulous!
Of course the boys and Echo asserted their dominance over them but that was to be expected. Bright healthy girls with nice markings for standard pearls. Once I can catch them again tonight I will get pictures of them with my good camera.

 

[MartinsPoultry]

Delta with Foxy and Juliette

Blue, Echo and the other new girl we have yet to name. She actually cut her sinuses and we had a heck of a time getting her to clot so to keep an eye on her she is in a medi box in my dining room with food water and a basic light bulb for light.