new to guineas

[lovinlife]

I'm new to the BYC. I recently had seven keets given to me. A woman at church got some eggs to hatch with her kids, then found out her home owner's association wouldn't let her have guineas. Duh. Anyway, I got them and they're very cute!

They're about 8 weeks old in this pic. I'm assuming the light ones are powder blue, they don't really look lavendar to me. but then, I don't know anything.

Question: I've read quite a bit on here about sexing by their call. I've spent some time listening to my keets and I hear two different calls. One is just a little chirp noise, like the chi chi chi. The other is a two syllable call, but I can't really say it's buck wheat. It's two syllables, though. Would that be the girl call?

And what do you use for banding? I'd like to mark the females, but what do I use?

Thanks!!!

 

[sred98]

I love my guineas! I am new to them, also. Mine are about 4 months old. I haven't banded mine. When they get older, you'll be able to tell which is which by their head and coloring.

I think as long as it is 2 syllable, you can interpret their call however you want to! LOL! Remember the females make both sounds, so don't judge them as a male by that. The males only make the one syllable sound, though.

Once they start losing their baby feathers on their heads, you'll be able to tell the males from the females, easier.

I only have the pearl, and have only seen the pearl coloring in person, so I can't help you on the lighter ones. But, they are pretty!

Shelly

 

[Munchies]

Could be powder blue, coral blue or lavender; need a close picture of the top of their heads to be sure.

It is very difficult to sex guineas until the females start making the "come-BACK" call. Second syllable is the loudest.. others say it sounds like a squeaky bed, squeak clothes dryer, or squeaky door hinge.

 

[lovinlife]

I went out there today and really listened to them. One of them is doing what I would refer to as "clucking" if it were a hen, and it's two syllabled with the second syllable being louder. It's not really a loud call, just a walking-around-making-the-sound type thing. Is that what the females do? I put a zip tie on the one making that sound so I could identify which one it is. Is there something better to use to ID them with?

So, if I get a pic of the top of the head, you can tell which color it is? They have stripes only on the top of their heads. The stripes disappear at the neck.

Boy, do the guineas hate to be caught. They fight something fierce and run like the dickens when I reach for them. They're not like my chickens at all.

thanks!

 

[Munchies]

Solid stripes on top of head means they are lavenders; broken stripes, coral blue; no stripes, powder blue.

 

[TedsFarms]

Solid stripes on top of head means they are lavenders; broken stripes, coral blue; no stripes, powder blue.

Good info, thanks​

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
I dont mark mine, but if you use a zip tie, remember as they grow you will have to catch and remove that ziptie, and like you said they hate to be caught. Also you should not catch by thier legs, they will get strong enough that they can break a leg trying to get away.

 

[lovinlife]

Good to know. Their legs are huge now and I left a lot of room with the tie. I can take it off at this point, she's still small enough to catch.

How else can I tell them apart? Should I not worry about it? I guess it doesn't really matter.

As for the stripes on their heads, I plan on catching one of the light ones to put in the pen with the chicks, so I'll be able to look more closely at the striping. that's good info about the solid and broken lines. There are definitely lines there, I just don't know if they're broken or not. In the pic I posted, they look solid.

Thanks!