A Guinea Symphony

Guineas make noises that are distinct from the sounds their distant avian relatives and common barnyard residents, the chickens, are prone to make. There’s no “cock-a-doodle-do” or even guttural murmuring to these birds. Once you bring guineas to you farm, you’re going to hear a constant chattering as they move in a group across the yard, and the sounds they make are determined by their sex.

FEMALES: Guinea hens make a two-syllable sound that people compare to the words “buckwheat” or “come back.” To me it sounds like a rusty door swinging back and forth, but the point is, it’s a two-part sound.

MALES: Roosters can only make a onesyllable sound, which the hens are also capable of. It’s a “kik-kik-kik” sound, and they will do it pretty much nonstop.

Guineas are loud birds; there’s just no getting around that. If you like hearing animals making incessant noises on a lazy summer day or think you could get used to it, guineas could be for you. If you like a quiet, bucolic farm that quivers under the influence of a gentle breeze … well, I hear quail are nice.