Numigalls!! (Guinea Fowl - Chicken Hybrids)

[Prince and Pavo]

Hello!

Today I saw my Guinea fowl mating one of my (chicken) hens! I’ve been told and have always heard and read that this is a rare sighting, and that it usually only happens when there aren’t any Guinea hens, or they are constantly in close contact with chickens…both of which are true in my case. I know this is certainly not ideal and I have wanted to get a couple Guinea hens, but I am currently unable to. I used to have another Guinea before my dogs killed it, but that’s why I only have one now. I understand that guineas are flock birds and they need more of their own kind to be happy, but since I raised him with my chickens they are sort of like his ‘temporary’ flock mates.

I have learned a little bit about numigalls, but I wanted to see if anyone else knew anything about them…

Also, do you think it would be cruel to incubate some of the eggs if they were fertilized by the Guinea? I know that the offspring often don’t live very long and may have health issues, but if I did it to learn more about them, share an experience, and try to help other people (and animals) in the future, would that make it okay do you think? Or should I just not try at all?

 

[Prince and Pavo]

Anybody have some advice or suggestions? Ideas? Anything?

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Sorry you’re not getting replies on this. The community seems pretty quiet-may be the long weekend in the US keeping everyone off grid.
Your situation sure makes for an interesting topic.

 

[Prince and Pavo]

Does anybody have any suggestions?

 

[aart]

Does anybody have any suggestions?

Might try posting in the guinea forum.

 

[BlockDogRq]

Hello!

Today I saw my Guinea fowl mating one of my (chicken) hens! I’ve been told and have always heard and read that this is a rare sighting, and that it usually only happens when there aren’t any Guinea hens, or they are constantly in close contact with chickens…both of which are true in my case. I know this is certainly not ideal and I have wanted to get a couple Guinea hens, but I am currently unable to. I used to have another Guinea before my dogs killed it, but that’s why I only have one now. I understand that guineas are flock birds and they need more of their own kind to be happy, but since I raised him with my chickens they are sort of like his ‘temporary’ flock mates.

I have learned a little bit about numigalls, but I wanted to see if anyone else knew anything about them…

Also, do you think it would be cruel to incubate some of the eggs if they were fertilized by the Guinea? I know that the offspring often don’t live very long and may have health issues, but if I did it to learn more about them, share an experience, and try to help other people (and animals) in the future, would that make it okay do you think? Or should I just not try at all?

I may be a little late, but I think you should try it. I made such an attempt a few years ago. I was keeping a mating male guinea fowl with an ameraucana hen. I had to slaughter my male guinea rooster because guinea fowls were very aggressive during mating season and plucked the feathers of my other chickens. Later, my chickens started to die due to an illness, and in order to get rid of the chickens, my grandmother gave the chicks to others for free. My grandmother left my laying hens in the coop, but unfortunately for me, she also sent my guinea x chicken hybrid to someone else. I never had the chance to breed hybrid birds again due to my budget. But if you can produce, you should produce. You can provide information about the F1 hybrid by doing research on what kind of physical changes it has or whether it shows the behavioral characteristics of the parent species.