Are they all THIS noisy?

[GreenMtnVT]

We have had Mr. and Mrs. Guinea in our flock of chickens since they were keets two years ago. She wasn’t very noisy the first year, but is progressively becoming noisier and noisier.
It’s to the point now, that while everyone else is foraging and sunbathing, she’s strolling around loudly ‘buck-rack buck-rack buck-rack…’ (or however you spell the noise a wet flip flop makes?)…for hours….Straight. From around 11 am til 3 or 4, there’s not 10 minutes of silence or a room in the house where you can not hear her.

Is this normal? Are there any tricks to making her at least a little less noisy?

We did our research before adding them to the flock and talked to people who had them, so knew they’d be noisy, but did not expect to this extent from just one guinea.

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

That’s normal in my short experience with Guinea hens. I wonder if their call is sort of a location beacon for the flock when the hen thinks someone is too far away.

The only way I can get ours to hush is to get the hen closer to the group or herd the group closer to the hen. Now that ours have paired off I can herd her mate closer and that sometimes works too.

 

[Isadora]

Are you sure you have a pair? I was thinking if you had two females that would make sense for her to be calling for a mate.
My flock is predominantly female and they call all day long.

 

[GreenMtnVT]

Are you sure you have a pair? I was thinking if you had two females that would make sense for her to be calling for a mate.
My flock is predominantly female and they call all day long.

Yes, we had to take him to the vet last year for his foot where she confirmed he’s a male. He sometimes picks up treats for her to eat, but other than that, they don’t really do much together, or sleep together in the coop at night. Your females call non-stop all day like that? Do you think adding another male might help?

 

[Isadora]

Yes, we had to take him to the vet last year for his foot where she confirmed he’s a male. He sometimes picks up treats for her to eat, but other than that, they don’t really do much together, or sleep together in the coop at night. Your females call non-stop all day like that? Do you think adding another male might help?

It could, but I'm not sure. It seems strange that she would be doing the mate call if she already has a male there.
But yes, since most of my ladies don't have a guy friend they holler all day long. We have a lot of acreage here so it's no big deal, plus the neighbors are through the trees and told us that they can't hear them.

 

[R2elk]

Yes, we had to take him to the vet last year for his foot where she confirmed he’s a male. He sometimes picks up treats for her to eat, but other than that, they don’t really do much together, or sleep together in the coop at night. Your females call non-stop all day like that? Do you think adding another male might help?

Guineas are flock birds. They do best in large groups of guineas. Other poultry do not satisfy their flock needs.

I am curious as to how your vet determined the guinea's sex? Guineas can't normally be sexed by looking at them. There are behaviors that can be used as tells by a person experienced with guineas. Most of those those tells are only valid during laying season.

In the northern hemisphere it is currently guinea mating season. The guinea hens are calling for a mate. Guineas usually form pairs consisting of one cock and one hen. Once the pairs form the "buckwheating" tends to slow down. Those hens that do not find a mate will continue to call constantly.

 

[GreenMtnVT]

Guineas are flock birds. They do best in large groups of guineas. Other poultry do not satisfy their flock needs.

I am curious as to how your vet determined the guinea's sex? Guineas can't normally be sexed by looking at them. There are behaviors that can be used as tells by a person experienced with guineas. Most of those those tells are only valid during laying season.

In the northern hemisphere it is currently guinea mating season. The guinea hens are calling for a mate. Guineas usually form pairs consisting of one cock and one hen. Once the pairs form the "buckwheating" tends to slow down. Those hens that do not find a mate will continue to call constantly.

Hey, thanks. I’m not really sure how she determined that- she specializes in ‘backyard poultry’, but since Covid, you have to wait in the car while the bird is brought in to be examined. After two years though of observing them everyday, we can easily distinguish them without sight, only sound, as he has infrequent short, yet loud one-syllable ‘chirps’ and absolutely no ‘buckwheating’.
You said, once they form pairs, the hen’s buckwheating slows down, is it possible they’re simply incompatible and are choosing not to bond? Maybe adding a few more guineas so she has more options?

 

[R2elk]

You said, once they form pairs, the hen’s buckwheating slows down, is it possible they’re simply incompatible and are choosing not to bond? Maybe adding a few more guineas so she has more options?

It can happen that a pair of guineas just don't like each other.

Adding more guineas will definitely change the situation. I never recommend that a person have fewer than 10 guineas. It takes about that many for them to have proper flock dynamics. With smaller numbers one can become ostracized or even killed. In a large enough flock the seeming outcasts can comfort each other.

 

[GreenMtnVT]

It can happen that a pair of guineas just don't like each other.

Adding more guineas will definitely change the situation. I never recommend that a person have fewer than 10 guineas. It takes about that many for them to have proper flock dynamics. With smaller numbers one can become ostracized or even killed. In a large enough flock the seeming outcasts can comfort each other.

Thank you. I think that’s what we’ll end up doing, then!

 

[AGeese]

I don't understand what flock dynamics are missing with 9 or fewer Guineas? Do they have specific roles that they fill?