New to Guineas...how to tell?

[buzymom13]

My ? is whether you can tell by "looks" about guineas like you can (try) to tell on chickens?

I've got 4 guineas and here's a pic of one. The kids' call him/her "Fred".

Tell me oh wise ones!

Don't mind the chicken beside the guinea...

Up close

Thankx guys! Wanted to add that they are 2 months old... Thankx!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I'll be waiting for an answer as well.

I had one to show up here a few days ago and I know he is a male from his voice pattern and from his big wattles. (Gotta love the Internet!)
But with some due to hatch soon I was wondering if they were like chicks and you could tell at a certain age what was boy from girl.

 

[PeepsCA]

I've found that the wattles are not always a true method of sexing them... wattles can be a product of bad genetics and be completely misleading. So hearing the females buck-wheating, seeing the birds mate (meaning I'm paying attention to who's on top or bottom, I'm not actually watching them, cuz that's just um weird, lol), and of course if the bird lays an egg (then obviously you know it's a Hen) are the ONLY dependable ways of sexing Guineas that work for me. Sometimes with the older birds you can have a little better luck at guessing by their posture, body language and behaviors, but even then it's possible to be wrong

The buck-wheating between 5 and 8 wks old has never failed me tho... when I am trying to sex Hens anyway.

 

[robin416]

It drives my hubs nuts when a few Guineas will meander by the porch and I'll look over and say, "huh, I wonder why there's two females with all of the males." I can be guaranteed he'll ask every time how I know which is which. It hard to define the physical differences unless you're standing right there while an explanation is being given.

Most of mine are lavenders but I know who Mean Bird is and Flock Leader and then there's Goofy too. The three have subtle physical differences that allows me to identify them. Although with Goofy he has an odd helmet and is well, goofy.

 

[PeepsCA]

LOL I know what you mean. I can pretty much tell you the sex of every single one of my 42 adults,because I'm around them so much, but it's the newbies I add to my flocks every year that takes me a while to figure out who's who. And then of course there's always the keet customer that at the very last minute says "Oh can I get 6 Hens and 2 Males?" (and everybody in the big brooder is anywhere between 4 and 6 weeks old, lol) Ack!

 

[TarheelBirdy]

This thread is right on target in terms of our knowing our own Guineas......you get to know your own....but I'm guessing based on what I read that this is not a guarantee of all Guinea behavior.

Is there truly no way of accurately sexing the keets without hearing their call??

 

[cracking up]

There really is no way to tell. You never see sexed guineas for sale as day olds. It isn't as important to know the sex as it is with chickens. Roosters won't over breed the hens and if you get more than a couple you'll end up with as many as you want.

 

[buzymom13]

I put the guineas in my portable run... I sat and listened. WOOHOO!!! I think I have 2 females and 2 males. We heard/saw two make the buckwheat call and two that just "chi chi" . We're SO excited!!! YAY!!!