San Diego Chicken meetup and Chat thread

[perchie.girl]

Quote: LOL.... Guineas do ok by themselves but are best in flocks. Smallest flock in my opionion would be around eight or nine birds. A lone bird will actually seek out other guineas if they are by themselves. Usually what happens is a female will go walk about from their farm to go broody in the brush her Mate will follow and stand guard checking up on her off and on through out the day. The female will get picked off by a coyote or bobcat and the male will go searching for her. They dont mate for life but they do pair off during breeding season. And here in this climate Breeding season starts a month or so earlier than other parts of the country.

They all make the screeching Chi Chi Chi Chi "Alarm" noise as well as a Rusty Gate "Conversation" noise and a little Burrrrring noise "Food". But only the female makes a noise that sounds like Buck Wheat..... Or Come back..... and some say it sounds like Butt Crac....

How ever you want to describe it its a Two syllable call and can be identified as early as four weeks if you listen closely. And they say it Over and Over and Over and Over again. This is the most definitive way to sex a Guinea.

There are the SOPs that say the wattles stick out on a male and lay flat on a female Not all birds fit the SOP.... If they are in a flock and you sit and watch for a time you can spot differences in stance.... Females tend to carry themselves horizontally males tend to carry themselves vertically.... Again not all will follow "the rules".... LOL. So the best way is to listen.

Males do tend to be quieter during the day going about their business so if you dont hear much from the bird during the day It will most likely be a mature male. They only go off with their alarm noise at night if they hear or see something that is out of place in their environment. So they are an excellent predator first alert alarm.

Part of the reason to have a small flock is they will actually chase off predators. I onec had a flock of six that I adopted and have actually seen them gang up on a Coyote and "escort" him off the property charging and pecking at him. All the wile he kept looking back as if tho say "This aint Right...." Because of this though you do lose some in time.... sigh.

Sorry I wrote a book. I am trying to make it to the meetup and ifI do I will be bringing a few Guinea hatching eggs. I have about four that are laying right now hopefully I will have more than eight eggs by then.

deb

 

[OffGridMAMA]

Yaaay very excited to see you all on Sunday !!!!

 

[jules4fun]

LOL.... Guineas do ok by themselves but are best in flocks. Smallest flock in my opionion would be around eight or nine birds. A lone bird will actually seek out other guineas if they are by themselves. Usually what happens is a female will go walk about from their farm to go broody in the brush her Mate will follow and stand guard checking up on her off and on through out the day. The female will get picked off by a coyote or bobcat and the male will go searching for her. They dont mate for life but they do pair off during breeding season. And here in this climate Breeding season starts a month or so earlier than other parts of the country. They all make the screeching Chi Chi Chi Chi "Alarm" noise as well as a Rusty Gate "Conversation" noise and a little Burrrrring noise "Food". But only the female makes a noise that sounds like Buck Wheat..... Or Come back..... and some say it sounds like Butt Crac....

How ever you want to describe it its a Two syllable call and can be identified as early as four weeks if you listen closely. And they say it Over and Over and Over and Over again. This is the most definitive way to sex a Guinea. There are the SOPs that say the wattles stick out on a male and lay flat on a female Not all birds fit the SOP.... If they are in a flock and you sit and watch for a time you can spot differences in stance.... Females tend to carry themselves horizontally males tend to carry themselves vertically.... Again not all will follow "the rules".... LOL. So the best way is to listen. Males do tend to be quieter during the day going about their business so if you dont hear much from the bird during the day It will most likely be a mature male. They only go off with their alarm noise at night if they hear or see something that is out of place in their environment. So they are an excellent predator first alert alarm. Part of the reason to have a small flock is they will actually chase off predators. I onec had a flock of six that I adopted and have actually seen them gang up on a Coyote and "escort" him off the property charging and pecking at him. All the wile he kept looking back as if tho say "This aint Right...." Because of this though you do lose some in time.... sigh. Sorry I wrote a book. I am trying to make it to the meetup and ifI do I will be bringing a few Guinea hatching eggs. I have about four that are laying right now hopefully I will have more than eight eggs by then. deb

Thanks I'll listen for the special two syllable butt-crack call! Ps; do the eggs incubate the same as chicken eggs? Hmmmmm do I dare?

 

[Kev]

Putting a feeler out to see if there's any interest in peafowl or peafowl eggs for the meet up?

Peahens are adult blue hen split for pied/silver pied, adult white(she may be purple also- her father was a split purple). Both have already started laying for this season. Two adult spalding hens, both are split for either white or pied- also laying eggs now.

Peafowl eggs from pen of blue male split opal, purple, white, black shoulder and two black shoulder hens split for opal and silver pied. This trio is three years old and also for sale.

Eggs from pen with pure Java green male and two females plus two female spaldings- one is pied.

 

[alisar]

I have these giant feather footed yellow chicks that came as packing peanuts in my Ideal Poultry order. Anyone care to guess? Four toes, furry legs.


Has feathers coming in already, so quick!


Buff Cochins?

 

[perchie.girl]

I have these giant feather footed yellow chicks that came as packing peanuts in my Ideal Poultry order. Anyone care to guess? Four toes, furry legs.


Has feathers coming in already, so quick!


Buff Cochins?

Awww its baby Huey and hes tired ..... Vewy vewy tired..... My guess is a Giant cochin of some sort?

deb

 

[ozexpat]

Thanks I'll listen for the special two syllable butt-crack call!
Ps; do the eggs incubate the same as chicken eggs? Hmmmmm do I dare?

there is a youtube with the sounds somewhere

 

[ozexpat]

Putting a feeler out to see if there's any interest in peafowl or peafowl eggs for the meet up?

Peahens are adult blue hen split for pied/silver pied, adult white(she may be purple also- her father was a split purple). Both have already started laying for this season. Two adult spalding hens, both are split for either white or pied- also laying eggs now.

Peafowl eggs from pen of blue male split opal, purple, white, black shoulder and two black shoulder hens split for opal and silver pied. This trio is three years old and also for sale.

Eggs from pen with pure Java green male and two females plus two female spaldings- one is pied.

i would love to but I will be in the Philippines setting your peafowl eggs, among others, when those available at the meet-up will be hatching.

 

[ozexpat]

female guinea

male guinea

 

[OffGridMAMA]

I have these giant feather footed yellow chicks that came as packing peanuts in my Ideal Poultry order. Anyone care to guess? Four toes, furry legs. Has feathers coming in already, so quick! Buff Cochins?

No idea! But oh so CUTE!!!