What have I got?

[GuineaLady93]

With the pictures that you put up, I see all boys.

 

[PeepsCA]

Usually the males will have a larger red fleshy lump around the nostrils than the Hens do... All 3 birds in these pics have large wattles, but as mentioned in previous replies, wattles don't always indicate sex. I see at least one bird without the large fleshy nostril lump... but the pics aren't real clear or from the right angle to confirm by this method...

I would say with these 3 birds the only way to sex them accurately is by which calls they make. Try catching and separating them one at a time... put one in a cage and put it out of sight of the others but within earshot. Then stand back out of it's line of sight for a few minutes and see if it buck-wheats (sounds like puh-track or even butt-crack, lol). If it does this call, it's a Hen. Usually my males just start yelling chi-chi-chi-chi, but the Hens can do that at first too because they are mad about being separated. So wait it out a while to confirm if the bird will or won't buck-wheat. The other 2 that are left in the pen may call out to it also, so you may only have to separate one.

 

[72elizabeth]

peepsCa, I left a message for you in the guinea fowl 101. I guess I should have left it here. Sorry.

 

[PeepsCA]

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Sorry I've been busy getting ready for winter around here, and I'm not online as much... I'll quote your msg and answer it over here

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LOL, yah I have quite the critter selection, I'm trying to thin it down some, but I keep getting new additions as I go (Peafowl), lol. I don't even want to think about my feed bill, I just cringe and pay it, and try not to ever add it up

... the feed store owners/employees love to see me drive in tho, lol.

I freefeed 4 of my Guinea flocks (keep feeders full), and they don't over eat or get fat, they are old enough to know/realize what they need... but my big pen full of birds that are for sale I have to ration, and only feed AM & PM because they have not yet established/developed the "shut off switch" in their pea brains that their crops are full, there's no more room so there's just constant pecking/nibbling activity going on at the feeders and they are all stimulated to EAT/NIBBLE ALL DAY LONG every time one of them even wiggles the hanging feeders. They aren't starving by any means, they just constantly eat mostly out of boredom and the whole monkey see monkey do mentality of Guineas, lol. (I don't free range the birds I plan on selling because they have not been worked with to go back in at night). I tried to keep their feeders full and after 2 50# bags of 24% protein game bird pellets were gone in less than a week

I decided to just feed twice a day. I put out enough feed so that each bird can get about 1/3-1/2cup each feeding. Some eat more, some eat less. They also get a flake of alfalfa to peck at all day long, some garden greens and maybe some sweet feed as a snack, and even with all that they rush the feeders and are all over me and in the feed bucket as I am filling the feeders like they haven't eaten in a week

LOL WOW @ you hatching all those keets from that batch of surely doomed eggs, that's amazing. Guinea eggs are tough, even after being refrigerated, there's your proof right there, lol. And yes, seeing them hatch is an amazing experience... and addicting, the hatching bug got me baaaaaad

So just warning ya, you better watch out, you'll be up to your ears in eggs, keets and brooders come Springtime! Hope you're ready, lol. I'm going into another hatching season with about 45 Hens... NO WAY am I going to incubate and hatch anywhere near 782 keets ever again

lol. I'll be selling a LOT of eggs next season!!! (Yah right, lol).

 

[72elizabeth]

peepsCa, what age do they realize that they've had enough? They free range all day. I feed in the morning in their coop and let them out about 8:00. Then feed at 5:15pm in their coop. This insure's me that they all go into the coop for the night. When I left food out all day, it was very difficult to get about 10 of them into the coop. At 5:15pm they are starving and run for the coop. They finish every little pellet, that's my concern. I would feel better if I had some left over, at least I would know they all had their fill. Do you think I should increase the evening meal? I just gave them 5lbs of pellets for tonight. Not a pellet left. What do you think?
It's gonna be a nightmare when they start laying. The other 2 hens (lavender & Purple), all laid their eggs under the Knock Out Rose bushes that line the front of the house. Oooooooch!

 

[PeepsCA]

I don't think there is an exact magic age when they decide they've had enough to eat or not, lol. I just know that most of my birds (close to 100 of them anyway) don't do the gorging thing and I only have to refill feeders every 3-4 days

I would have to say that I mostly notice the birds under 5-6 months old being the bottomless pits.

If you are feeding 9 lbs of feed split between 36 birds that is around 4oz (measured by weight) that's well over a half a cup of feed per bird a day, PLUS free range time. That's quite a bit of food for a little 4 lb bird, lol. My only concern would be what the protein level is of the feed they are eating is and if they need to be wormed or not. Like I said, feel their breast area, compare a few birds of different ages, both sexes. If they feel thin, then feed them more, and give them the leafy alfalfa like I suggested, but I'd be sure to worm them so you are feeding the birds and not the worms. I'd keep an eye on their weight and theor feed quantity consumption after you worm them, or they may end up puffing up like the Pillsbury doughboy within a week or 2, lol.

I have a flock of 12 full-time free rangers that turn their nose up at pellets of any kind and give me dirty looks if I even try to toss them anything like scratch or wild bird seed mix, the only thing they want to eat is sweetfeed. I am tripping over them at feeding time because they are under my feet until they get it... and they only get about 3-4 cups to split between all 12 birds, twice a day (which totals out to be a lot a less than 2qt scoop, per day). The rest of their diet they forage for on my 10 acres. They are all super healthy, always productive during breeding season (the Hens all lay FABULOUSLY rich, orange yolked free range eggs, YUM!) and they survive some pretty wet cold windy winters just fine. I really do think it's a monkey see-monkey do thing with gorging birds, more than hunger driven (if they are perfectly healthy that is), they get so stimulated/excited by everybody eating and making happy sounds that they just keep eating and eating and packing it in until it's all gone, and your wallet is empty lol.

 

[72elizabeth]

Thanks so much peeps. I haven't wormed them and don't know how. Once you tell me how, I'll do it. LOL. They do love sweetfeed. Maybe I could throw them that mixed in with the chix feed which is 15%. Out of the 3 chix, only 2 are laying (sometimes). I think the 3rd one is laying somewhere. For sure I get one egg. One of the eggs has a couple of little dark brown spects (I call it dirt). I take it out with a teaspoon before cooking.
I'm using an inexpensive FRM layer pellet chicken feed of 15%, for the guineas and chix. Should I increase the percentage? I use the pellets because there's less waste. Is it OK to throw in sweetfeed and a little cracked corn?
Two years ago, I bought Dark Royal Purple Guineas. Sixteen came thru the mail, (lot different than hatching them). I just wanted 10 and so I sold 6. I free fed them and one year later they all took off. Hense the meaning of Flew the Coop. The one hen came back as I mentioned before. It seems that my feeding this new bunch (that I hatched) twice a day, keeps them close to the house. When I'm outside cleaning the coop or with the horses, they stay around me and give their little peeps. They're so cute.

 

[PeepsCA]

We're way off topic here... Sorry OP, didn't mean to hijack your thread

Personally yes, I'd aim for 16% protein... 15% protein is probably ok too, I'm just really a stickler for nutritional their requirements. You don't want to overfeed the sweet feed and corn, it's just fat/starch/calories plus it brings their total dietary protein % down. Too much fat in their diet can shorten their lifespan, cause fatty organs, cancer etc, plus fat birds can have laying and fertility issues too...

As far as worming goes... there are lots of threads on BYC about worming poultry, you can do a search and find lots of helpful info. If your birds don't feel thin, then you may not need to worm them. If you are concerned they have worms tho, I'd get a collection of fresh stool samples from your flock, take it to a vet and have them to a fecal test to see if there is any sign of worms. They'd be able to tell you what kind of wormer you'll need and how much to use, as well as how long you will need to stop eating the eggs from your Hens.

 

[72elizabeth]

Thanks peeps. I did go on the threads for the worms and learned a lot. I don't think they have worms and they look really healthy. I will pick up on the %. Thanks again
Don't know what hijack means and hope I didn't do something wrong. Sorry if I did.