Regular, jumbo, French?

[My2butterflies]

How do you know what you have if the place you got them from doesn’t accurately mark their stock?
I’ve wondered this for the past year. How much does the standard pearl guinea weigh?
After having held a few of my guineas they all weigh over 5lbs for sure. Is this a normal weight for a regular size guinea? Or is it possible that they are jumbos?

I’m hoping mine are just the normal size. It will be kinda sad if the new guys I’m adding end up being smaller.
It would make sense in a way if they are. My guineas never fly. They flutter, but don’t fly.

 

[R2elk]

How do you know what you have if the place you got them from doesn’t accurately mark their stock?
I’ve wondered this for the past year. How much does the standard pearl guinea weigh?
After having held a few of my guineas they all weigh over 5lbs for sure. Is this a normal weight for a regular size guinea? Or is it possible that they are jumbos?

I’m hoping mine are just the normal size. It will be kinda sad if the new guys I’m adding end up being smaller.
It would make sense in a way if they are. My guineas never fly. They flutter, but don’t fly.

I have had adult male guineas dress out at 2.5 lb.s which means they were likely not over 4 lbs. live weight.

The claim is that normal Helmeted Guinea Fowl weigh about 3.5 lbs and that Jumbos weigh 1 lb. more. If yours weigh 5 lbs., they are likely to be Jumbos. My standard guineas fly very well.

 

[My2butterflies]

I have had adult male guineas dress out at 2.5 lb.s which means they were likely not over 4 lbs. live weight.

The claim is that normal Helmeted Guinea Fowl weigh about 3.5 lbs and that Jumbos weigh 1 lb. more. If yours weigh 5 lbs., they are likely to be Jumbos. My standard guineas fly very well.

That is a bummer:/
If I end up having to hold one again I’ll weigh it just to see for sure. I’ve had a sneaking suspicion they might be bigger then normal. Watching my current 4wk olds grow they just seem smaller then I remember my pearls being at this age.
Do you suppose this is why my fertility seems to only be 50/50 at best?

 

[R2elk]

That is a bummer:/
If I end up having to hold one again I’ll weigh it just to see for sure. I’ve had a sneaking suspicion they might be bigger then normal. Watching my current 4wk olds grow they just seem smaller then I remember my pearls being at this age.
Do you suppose this is why my fertility seems to only be 50/50 at best?

The fertility problem can be due to a number of different reasons such as being too closely related to bad ratios of hens to males and timing. Early season fertility can be bad and can improve as the season progresses.

 

[My2butterflies]

The fertility problem can be due to a number of different reasons such as being too closely related to bad ratios of hens to males and timing. Early season fertility can be bad and can improve as the season progresses.

I didn’t take being related into account. I’m sure they are related since they were bought all at once.
Hopefully these new guys will bring in some fresh genetics. I’ve also been finding others raising and selling guineas within a few hours of me. I might get some more keets next year for the sake of genetic diversity. Plus I saw they have some colors I’d like
Before I can think of adding any other additions I need to see how my first group is going to do.
And I’ve definitely seen the difference in timing of the season on fertility as you mentioned.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

How do you know what you have if the place you got them from doesn’t accurately mark their stock?
I’ve wondered this for the past year. How much does the standard pearl guinea weigh?
After having held a few of my guineas they all weigh over 5lbs for sure. Is this a normal weight for a regular size guinea? Or is it possible that they are jumbos?

I’m hoping mine are just the normal size. It will be kinda sad if the new guys I’m adding end up being smaller.
It would make sense in a way if they are. My guineas never fly. They flutter, but don’t fly.

Mine seem pretty small, even mean old bruiser. They are also pretty fond of flying at the drop of a hat, which is good for predator avoidance.

 

[My2butterflies]

Mine seem pretty small, even mean old bruiser. They are also pretty fond of flying at the drop of a hat, which is good for predator avoidance.

Mine are bigger then my biggest chicken
Twilight, my black sex link near my guineas.

Are standard size too much smaller do you think? Maybe around chicken size?

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Mine are bigger then my biggest chicken
Twilight, my black sex link near my guineas.
View attachment 2281755
Are standard size too much smaller do you think? Maybe around chicken size?

Wow, your seem quite large to me! Ours are about the side of our layer hens, some a tad smaller and the boys a tad bigger.

 

[My2butterflies]

Wow, your seem quite large to me! Ours are about the side of our layer hens, some a tad smaller and the boys a tad bigger.

That doesn’t sound too bad for a size difference then

 

[My2butterflies]

Well I weighed my small hen Tiny. She weighs 6lbs. If I end up needing to handle a male at some point I’ll have to weigh one to see how big of a difference there is between them and the hens.