What age can you tell the difference

[Unicornlife3316]

I have 7 guineas who are still a bit too young to sex.. so far only one has made the “buckwheat” call.. at how old do they typically start making their noises??

I’m terrified that she’s the only female.

That would be one female and NINE males (I have three older males from my first flock)

I don’t even know what to do. I would have to get rid of males, or find somewhere to trade for females. I can’t just keep buying keets hoping for females. These 7 were supposed to be old enough to sex and by the time I drove the two hours there, realized it was a pretty shady situation, I bailed with the birds.

Any advice appreciated

 

[336White Phoenix]

Pics would nice

 

[R2elk]

I have 7 guineas who are still a bit too young to sex.. so far only one has made the “buckwheat” call.. at how old do they typically start making their noises??

I’m terrified that she’s the only female.

That would be one female and NINE males (I have three older males from my first flock)

I don’t even know what to do. I would have to get rid of males, or find somewhere to trade for females. I can’t just keep buying keets hoping for females. These 7 were supposed to be old enough to sex and by the time I drove the two hours there, realized it was a pretty shady situation, I bailed with the birds.

Any advice appreciated

If one of them is already buckwheating, you should be able to tell the others by taking one at a time and placing it where it can't see the others or you and listen to the call it makes. When they are separated like that, they tend to get nervous and start calling and the calls the hens will make is the buckwheat.

Some hens are more precocious and dominant than others and start buckwheating earlier.

Good luck and hope you have a lot more hens than just the one.

I did have one hatch where there was only one hen and 7 males. I gave away three of the males, the dog ate one male and the hen and the other three males were the start of my current flock. The males all fought but they all worked together to protect the hen. She was their spoiled queen.

 

[cmom]

I agree with the above poster. Guineas are hard to sex. The best way is to listen. The males call is different from the females. Usually you may be able to tell by around 8 weeks. The males use one syllable (buck) and the females 2 syllables (buck-Wheat). Good luck and have fun...

 

[Unicornlife3316]

Hadn’t even thought about separating the little ones. Great idea. Will do this today.

 

[Unicornlife3316]

If one of them is already buckwheating, you should be able to tell the others by taking one at a time and placing it where it can't see the others or you and listen to the call it makes. When they are separated like that, they tend to get nervous and start calling and the calls the hens will make is the buckwheat.

Some hens are more precocious and dominant than others and start buckwheating earlier.

Good luck and hope you have a lot more hens than just the one.

I did have one hatch where there was only one hen and 7 males. I gave away three of the males, the dog ate one male and the hen and the other three males were the start of my current flock. The males all fought but they all worked together to protect the hen. She was their spoiled queen.

Well...

That idea didn’t work.

I even picked up the female who I KNOW for sure is a female and she didn’t even make her buckwheat call.. she made the shrill alert noise and not her typically buckwheat noise.

Any other ideas!?

 

[R2elk]

Well...

That idea didn’t work.

I even picked up the female who I KNOW for sure is a female and she didn’t even make her buckwheat call.. she made the shrill alert noise and not her typically buckwheat noise.

Any other ideas!?

That is the method used by @PeepsCA

Wait a week and try again.

 

[Unicornlife3316]

That is the method used by @PeepsCA

Wait a week and try again.

Ok will do

 

[AgnesB]

My previous groups of keets did make different noises..but when old enough to go out in a temp pen I noticed one had a must larger helmet forming and did have buds of wattles..the others did not....'course only the helmeted one survived the others took 'walk abouts' and never returned..one lasted longer but a stray dog got 'her'. The one that stayed (1 yr now) is a wild child! He used to let me pick him up and would follow me around...then spring came and he is still attacking me when ever he can. I now have 6 babies (still in the house) and I so home some are girls! One of the babies is more robust and I can not help the 'fear' it is a boy. Right now the adult is in love (?) with the two Rhode Island reds that ar about his age....the three are always together. I also have 6 teenage pullets to be let out of outdoor temp housing but I am afraid Mr Blue will not take kindly to them. Ideas? SOrry this gotoff track and too long.