My flock is getting ready for spring!

[WestKnollAmy]

I finally have all my light colored Guineas in the same pen.
There are about 8 Pearl and a Pearl pied Guinea free ranging the farm during the day and cooping up with the chickens or grow up penned birds at night so they are safe from predators.

But to have my Coral Blues, Lavenders, buff Dundottes, a nice smokey Chocolate and my one precious Slate Blue in one pen is my fall achievement. It seemed to take forever for everyone to mature enough to put together. They are in a 10x10 tractor that we move every week to fresh grass and ground. That first move was funny as they chose to ride on the roosting bar as the earth moved below them. But they appear happy and was very glad to have a nice roof over their heads when it poured rain yesterday.

I will hatch from this pen and am excited to see what cool colors and combinations I will have. I know I have a lot of girls but not real sure how many boys to girls I do have as some have not said anything when I have been close enough to see who is talking.

But I think they are just gorgeous!

Thanks for looking and let me know if my colors are wrong. I know the chocolate is light but I think I only have this one. The slate is still growing the red off but most of the others have their colors in well.

 

[PeepsCA]

Congrats, integrating is my least favorite part of keeping Guineas... time consuming and can be so frustrating at times if there are bullies.
Glad you're over that hump

Pretty colors, can't wait to see what you hatch from that flock!

 

[StevenW.]

They are pretty, BUT you have GREEN grass! All our grass is dead from the 20-30 degree weather we've been having.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

They have been great with each other so far. It was only 3 groups that I needed to put together and DH is horribly afraid we will lose our Slate Blue. They are all this years birds so I think that helped.


Yes! Our grass is still green. We have had a few frosts but not a hard freeze yet. Today we had cold rain so I am sure what little green grass we have will be gone tomorrow. But another warm spell will hit and grass will sprout and grow a bit more. Guineas eat a lot of grass!

 

[oldiabird]

Quote:

 

[PeepsCA]

Forgot to add...
Male Chocolates are usually lighter than the Hens, so maybe you have a male there (If so, send him to me please, lol)

... but if the bird buck-wheat I'd guess that it's a Blonde Hen instead. I think I see a Buff too...
If you can post more pics in a couple more months when they all get their adult feathers and I should be able to tell you for sure what I see.

Definitely a pretty flock tho, congrats

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Looks to me like you have about half and half males to females, but you have to remember that all guineas originate from pearl, so you still could end up with some pearl keets out of your seperated colors. I had 100 guineas this spring, sold off about 70 this spring , sold about 50 the spring before, and have about 70 again now! (sold all pearls or pearl pied) Probably still have about 20 pearls !!! Enjoy , they are some crazy critters!! Mealworms that I got from you are doing great, I seperated over 100 larva into a new bin yesterday!

Thanks!
I do expect to have some Pearls come from these matings. I just prefer to give the odds a boost by only breeding the lights. If I had enough pens I would separate even more.
I can tell some are girls. A lot of my lavs are girls and totally obnoxious with their talking all the time.
Geez! What can they possibly have to say all the time? It gets to where it sounds like "Feed me, feed me" instead of buckwheat!

Glad to hear the mealies are doing great! Those larva are growing fat, I bet! Glad to give you something else to do so you won't be bored!

I don't think you would ever be bored at your place though!​

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Quote:
I wasn't sure if this was a decent color chocolate. Being so new to Guineas I still have tons to learn and never seem to have the time to study up on them. I thought in my off season I could do more. I have been waiting for my off season since last winter!

I think I do have a buff dundotte but they can't stand still long enough in good light for me to look closely at pattern on the feathers. I would love a blonde! That I am NOT sure about. I would not know how to tell as I have not studied that color.

Chocolates come from a friend here in my state that sent me eggs. But she was letting them breed together like I do so it is probably mixed. I think it looks lovely though. I have not heard anything from this one so I do not know if it is boy or girl and they are still young.

Thanks for the input! It is always appreciated!

I am sure I will post again in a few months when they are more mature.