Guinea Update w/ pictures

[bradselig]

Well I decided to take a break from painting the shed/coop and take some pictures of the guineas. While watching them today, I was able to distinguish 3 females from the group due to "buck wheating". The Royal Purple, the largest Pearl Grey, and the Tan pearled colored one (still not sure of this ones color) have all so far started using the 2 syllable call. While watching them, I noticed that in order for them to buck wheat, they enlarged their throat much larger than they do when using the single syllable call. It would become enlarged when they started the "buck" part of the call. After I noticed this, it was much easier to tell who was making what call.

Any way, here are some pictures. We booted out the chickens and I let the guineas roam the coop out of their pen.







In this last picture, you can kinda see what I am saying about the throat becoming enlarged with the "buck wheat" call on the Royal Purple keet in front of the door.

Yesterday, I also picked up 3 more keets! After seeing the pictures of the Lavender guineas, I just had to add some to my flock.

 

[StevenW.]

Cute cute cute cute! Love em all!

 

[judyc]

Very pretty! Nice quarters for them, too.

 

[PeepsCA]

Nice!!!! Your little tan Hen looks like she's going to be a Blonde... but she might be a diluted Chocolate. She's a keeper for sure tho. You'll have a gorgeous flock. And congrats on the Lavender babies too!!!

 

[bradselig]

Cute cute cute cute! Love em all!

Thank you! I cant wait to have them roaming around the property!

 

[bradselig]

Very pretty! Nice quarters for them, too.

Thank you! I am in love with them! I see youre from Indiana too! Very cool. I used to live in West Lafayette when I went to Purdue and worked at the Lowes in Lafayette.

Here are a few more pictures of their coop. Its a 16x10 shed that I sectioned off a 10x10 area for the coop and left the rest for storage. Ive added a few windows and attached a 12x24 pen to the side. The chickens and ducks have just started their supervised free ranging and they LOVE it. I cant wait to get the guineas out with them (but I am not going to rush the "imprinting" stage). I am waiting for the sun screen to arrive (hopefully tomorrow or friday) and that will go on the top of the run, eliminating the tarps.




The left side of the storage area is the chicken supplies.


Right side is still just the general storage.


Picture of the inside of the coop. Eventually it will get painted as well to brighten it up and seal the OSB. The roosts were quickly made and will eventually have a poop board filled with Sweet PDZ below it. Still have to put up the lay boxes but figure I have a couple more months before they are needed.

 

[bradselig]

Nice!!!! Your little tan Hen looks like she's going to be a Blonde... but she might be a diluted Chocolate. She's a keeper for sure tho. You'll have a gorgeous flock. And congrats on the Lavender babies too!!!

Thanks Peeps! I am really enjoying them. Very different personalities than the chickens and ducks. Again, thanks so much for the color ID help.

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote: You are so very welcome!

I am drooling over your coop... I need about 8 of those!!!! NICE!!!

 

[StevenW.]

Lovely coop!
My coops are not as *Cough* organized as yours is in the inside..

 

[JLeigh]

That is one gorgeous coop. I'm going to show my husband all the pictures so that he can emulate the fantastic setup. I love the perches for them. My chicken coop is extremely nice thanks to my builder husbands efforts, but we need another for the guineas. This perchi structure is great. Does anyone have an opinion re: "flat" 2x 4s (3.5 inch side up) versus the 1.5 inch side up?

A friend of mine told me that building perches with the wider side of a 2x4 up is good because the birds can keep their feet warm in the winter. If you put the 1.5 inch side up, they have more difficulty keeping their feet warm in the winter. Anyone with advice?