Male Guinea occasionally says "Buckwheat" like a female!

[TarheelBirdy]

A Male! I have heard him do it twice!!! I just about flipped a biscuit.

He is a bit of an outcast. He is three years old, he was part of my very first group of guineas, he is Lavender and the only light-colored guinea that survived predators. However, he has never been accepted by any of the females (always the loner) and now that all my females are penned up, he is out with three other male guineas, but they pick on him - not so much that it's dangerous, but just enough to keep him at a distance.

A couple of weeks ago, Mark and I were working on the pasture and the Rat Pack (the four males that run free) were out there with us. Suddenly I heard "buckwheat, buckwheat, buckwheat" in an unfamiliar guinea-voice. We turned around, and lavendar he-guinea was standing there. Remember....we have NO females free-ranging any more.

Then, this morning, I was feeding the birds, and he did it again, for a few seconds, then went back to being a guy-guinea.

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

 

[Chickenfan4life]

Yeah, I've heard it before, too: "BUTT CRACK! BUTT CRACK! BUTT CRACK!" It's pretty dadgumn funny!

 

[TarheelBirdy]

Yeah, I've heard it before, too: "BUTT CRACK! BUTT CRACK! BUTT CRACK!" It's pretty dadgumn funny!

But this is from a MALE guinea!!!!!

 

[casuarius]

But this is from a MALE guinea!!!!!

How do you know its a male? I have never heard a male make that sound in all the years i've bred Guineas. I have had females that I would have sworn were males, but ended up being females.

 

[arcy liger]

how would you sex adult guineas...

i have two white and they were sexed from the wattles (the turned ones males and stright ones females)
is that right sexing ......

 

[TarheelBirdy]

How do you know its a male? I have never heard a male make that sound in all the years i've bred Guineas. I have had females that I would have sworn were males, but ended up being females.

When you have guineas long enough, you can tell by watching their gait, their stance, and by their wattles (they are larger, and are like scoops, where the females' wattles are smaller and lay closer to their face).

Also, this boy does the male "call," usually.

 

[PeepsCA]

Quote: I have never had any of my males buck-wheat either. There is no male call... the Hens make all the same squawks, screeches and calls that the males do.

Wattles are not always an accurate indication of gender, and over the years I have had quite a few Hens with cupped wattles, and just as many males with flat wattles (several are in the freezer.. I'm trying to breed away from bad wattles and white flights).

I do agree that male Guineas do have a gait and stance that are clue-ins as to their gender, but the Hens can mimic that. I have an 8 month old Lite Blue Hen right now (with flat wattles) that is the Alpha bully in her flock. She stands tall, on her tippy-toes and charges with her wings lifted. Chasing, harassing and pulling feathers on the younger birds is all an every day activity for her. As I have been weeding out my extra males now that breeding season is kicking in I have caught and caged her twice lately just to confirm she does buck-wheat and to double check her wing band number (possible cull because of her behavior). I have never heard or seen her buck-wheat any other time.

Also, some Hens, especially if ostracized by the flock won't buck-wheat much because it draws the flock's attention to them and they get chased more.

Post some pics of your bird... better yet get it buck-wheating on video, lol.

 

[TarheelBirdy]

I have never had any of my males buck-wheat either. There is no male call... the Hens make all the same squawks, screeches and calls that the males do.

Wattles are not always an accurate indication of gender, and over the years I have had quite a few Hens with cupped wattles, and just as many males with flat wattles (several are in the freezer.. I'm trying to breed away from bad wattles and white flights).

I do agree that male Guineas do have a gait and stance that are clue-ins as to their gender, but the Hens can mimic that. I have an 8 month old Lite Blue Hen right now (with flat wattles) that is the Alpha bully in her flock. She stands tall, on her tippy-toes and charges with her wings lifted. Chasing, harassing and pulling feathers on the younger birds is all an every day activity for her. As I have been weeding out my extra males now that breeding season is kicking in I have caught and caged her twice lately just to confirm she does buck-wheat and to double check her wing band number (possible cull because of her behavior). I have never heard or seen her buck-wheat any other time.

Also, some Hens, especially if ostracized by the flock won't buck-wheat much because it draws the flock's attention to them and they get chased more.

Post some pics of your bird... better yet get it buck-wheating on video, lol.

I'll try to get some pics of him/her. He/she is very skittish.

 

[arcy liger]

where are the pics

 

[casuarius]

I have never had any of my males buck-wheat either. There is no male call... the Hens make all the same squawks, screeches and calls that the males do.

Wattles are not always an accurate indication of gender, and over the years I have had quite a few Hens with cupped wattles, and just as many males with flat wattles (several are in the freezer.. I'm trying to breed away from bad wattles and white flights).

I do agree that male Guineas do have a gait and stance that are clue-ins as to their gender, but the Hens can mimic that. I have an 8 month old Lite Blue Hen right now (with flat wattles) that is the Alpha bully in her flock. She stands tall, on her tippy-toes and charges with her wings lifted. Chasing, harassing and pulling feathers on the younger birds is all an every day activity for her. As I have been weeding out my extra males now that breeding season is kicking in I have caught and caged her twice lately just to confirm she does buck-wheat and to double check her wing band number (possible cull because of her behavior). I have never heard or seen her buck-wheat any other time.

Also, some Hens, especially if ostracized by the flock won't buck-wheat much because it draws the flock's attention to them and they get chased more.

Post some pics of your bird... better yet get it buck-wheating on video, lol.

Exactly. Females make the exact same sounds as males, only males cant make the buck-wheat sound. As far as their physical features, I have had countless females with huge facial wattles, and even large helmets. The only sure way to determine their sex is by the buck-wheat sound or DNA sexing. But then again, you can usually distinguish a male by the way they stand on their tip toes with their wings in the air and prance around in a dominant fashion. I havent personally seen a female ever do this, but I have seen them charge at other hens like a male.