the hen/roo question

[courtshep]

I have 5 Araucanas, now 3 weeks old, I ordered them from McMurray. They are supposed to be all girls. Two seem to have bigger and redder wattles. I am wondering, how accurate are the hatcheries? Do they make mistakes? The 2 birds are also a little bigger than the others.

 

[MissPrissy]

3 weeks it too early to even try to tell based on wattles and comb. They go through growth spirts over the next few weeks and as they fill out you'll be in a better position to tell based on physical characteristics.

Hatcheries state 90% accuracy on sexing.

I am not saying your birds are not little roos, they very well could be, but wait a while. 3 weeks is really early to try to guess.

 

[courtshep]

Thanks Miss Prissy! I notice that you have Pearl Guineas. I am currently bidding on some hatching eggs. I would like to have them in the gardens and around the farm for insects, ticks and grasshoppers especially. Are they friendly birds? Do you put yours in with the chickens at night? Sorry I am picking your brain, but I am so new at all this...

 

[MissPrissy]

Mine completely free range and roost with the goats. They had a coop and would not use it so I put chickens in there.

They do not stay in a copp and seem to thrive better when left to their own means and not fussed with.

I kept them locked in for about 3 months maybe longer so they learned where home is. They never stray far from home. They wander the feilds and stick close to the barn. I give them a bit of grain every evening out by the barn door to keep them coming around.

They are not friendly cuddly type birds for the most part. Some people do have them that will sit in their lap, etc., but I have found they thrive best when you let them be on the wild side.

Also - they are very loud. It is a sound you have to get used to. I have some adults and hatched out a few keets back in may. I have them in with my turkeys. They taught my turkeys how to eat and took care of them. When they get some size to them - September maybe - I'll turn them out too.