My new baby guineas! ok and what color is this?

[Pit Bull Farm]

I am new to Guineas but I got them to keep the ticks off our dogs. I have a large breeding kennel and spend a fourtune of tick spray. This year I though I would try these guys.

My adults I got about 4 months ago and just started turning them lose to free range. So far so good they stay in the orchard. But what color are they? and how do I sex them? I found one of them making a nest in the goat pen (I do not have goats anymore), maybe not a next but there are 4 eggs. I have been collecting and eating the eggs when they were in the chicken coop. Her is the one that might be a male. any thoughts on sex or color?

These are my babies in the brooder. They are 4 weeks old today and they are lavendar. I think i got 2 pied's that squeaked in the bunch tho.

I am learning so much from this forum, this place is great!

 

[Debbienmousey]

They are so pretty and adorable!! I'm sure you'll learn to love guineas as much as some of us do

The easiest ways to sex guineas are:

By call: Males can only make a "chi chi chi" alarm call while hens can make the "chi chi chi" alarm call and the chatterbox "buck wheat" call.

By feathers: The hens have this kind of "hump" although it's not a hump, its simply how she carries her wing feathers. The cocks seem to spread their wing feathers out more so that the feathers on their back are covered more. The hens don't spread their wings as much and thus the feathers on their backs resemble a hump. I hope I explained that okay.

By actions: The cocks will chase other guineas and other animals. When they do this they hold their wing feathers up high to make them selves look bigger. The hens do not chase other animals. The hens are generally much more timid.

The guinea which you posted a picture of looks like a lavender hen to me. Do all your older guineas look alike? If not then it should be easy to determine which is a hen and which is a cock. Take a few hours to simply watch a certain guinea each day.

Good luck, and again I just love those little lavender babies

 

[Munchies]

I agree with Debbie I see pics of hens in your post.

 

[Pit Bull Farm]

I must have 2 hens then, I have never seen any of that cock behavior with my two. The "buck wheat" call i am sure they both do, my gosh they are loud little buggers! lol i can just imagine what all 14 will sound like!

Thank you guys i will post pictures of the babies as they grow.

 

[crtrlovr]

Quote:
My guineas hens DO chase the chickens (except for the adult roos) and are decidedly NOT timid around other animals. They are very reluctant to walk up to me, but wouldn't think twice about walking up to give another chicken or one of the cats a swift rap on the head.

 

[Debbienmousey]

crtrlovr, sorry, my hens don't chase other birds. And about being timid I meant toward humans. My hens don't mind being near chickens either.

 

[Badhbh]

The top one looks like a male to me.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

If you want to sex your Guinea fowl properly do this:

watch a certain one until he or she calls, do this in an enclosed area with a few others.

Band the girls. They will do the "buck-wheat", "come-back" call which is the double syllable.

Catch her if you can, this may take some time and band her.

You will not need to band the males. They will eventually exhibit certain traits and looks.

The babies look like Lavenders, but they may even be the brown.

I have three brown ones and three royal purples coming up. They are still babies about 2 weeks behind yours.

I have 8 pearls in the nursery.

I have about 12 adults including two whites and one pie bald.