Catching and banding guineas

[DukesDucks]

I had a successful hatching this year but now have more guineas than I want to keep. I plan to see some in a month or so. I would like to band them by sex. I know from observations that I have more females than males.

I have tried sitting quietly with them in the run, wait for a female call, then catch that one. The issue I am having is their panic mode. I know I could catch them more easily when they are roosting in their coop at night but they don't make their distinctive call then.

I would appreciate any advice on how to do this without the birds getting hurt when they panic as a group.

 

[R2elk]

I had a successful hatching this year but now have more guineas than I want to keep. I plan to see some in a month or so. I would like to band them by sex. I know from observations that I have more females than males.

I have tried sitting quietly with them in the run, wait for a female call, then catch that one. The issue I am having is their panic mode. I know I could catch them more easily when they are roosting in their coop at night but they don't make their distinctive call then.

I would appreciate any advice on how to do this without the birds getting hurt when they panic as a group.

One method is to get them in the coop during the daytime. Catch them one at a time. Put the individual in a cage outside of the coop where it can't see the other guineas.

Once you decide from it's call what sex it is, band it and release it into the run and repeat with the next one.

 

[DukesDucks]

Great advice. I'll try this method. I have seen how calling increases if one can see the rest.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I know I could catch them more easily when they are roosting in their coop at night but they don't make their distinctive call then.

Another possible alternative.. band them each with different colors (or combinations there of) at night. Then take note during the following day which color bands make which call.. and switch to gender specific color bands again at night or just leave the bands as is and use your notes to identify gender by band color(s) when the time to sell comes.

 

[GuineaMania]

Another possible alternative.. band them each with different colors (or combinations there of) at night. Then take note during the folowing day which color bands make which call.. and switch to gender specific color bands again at night or just leave the bands as is and use your notes to identify gender by band color(s) when the time to sell comes.

Smart idea!

 

[DukesDucks]

I am banding with colour specific bands for females and males. There are 30 birds so trying to keep track of all those legs with multiple colours would be difficult. I'll post how well R2elks method works.