we do not endorse the group that goes by a copycat name gfia following is a repaste of last complete version the guineafowl are a family of birds in the same order as the pheasants turkeys and other game birds they are also widely known as guineahens a term formerly applied to the turkey this is an african family of insect and seed eating ground nesting birds resembling partridges but with featherless heads and spangled grey plumage the helmeted guineafowl has been domesticated and introduced outside its natural range for example in southern france and the west indies guineas are monogamous spending their lives with the same mate they lay eggs in a deep tapering nest their eggs are small and dark the hens have a habit of hiding their nests and sharing it with others until large numbers of eggs have accumulated the incubation period is days and the babies are called keets they are highly susceptible to dampness after all they come from drier areas of africa and can die from following the mother through dewy grass though after their first two weeks they can be some of the hardiest domestic land fowl sexing the birds is not as simple as telling a rooster from a hen chicken when they are adults the helmet and wattles of the male are larger then the female and the female is the only one to make the two note cry buck wheat aside from that however the two sexes are mostly identical in appearance as domestics guineas are valuable pest controllers delighting in ridding your yard and garden of insects they are especially beneficial in controlling the lyme disease carrying deer tick as well as annoying wasp nests while they are rarely kept in large numbers a few are sometimes kept with other fowl to be used as a security system against hawks no intruder or stranger will get past the eye of a guinea and they will call loudly with their high shrieking voices they are highly social birds and hate to be alone within the domesticated species many color variations have been created aside from the pearl or natural color of the helmeted guinea these include white purple slate chocolate lavander and coral blue species white breasted guineafowl agelastes meleagrides black guineafowl agelastes niger helmeted guineafowl numida meleagris plumed guineafowl guttera plumifera crested guineafowl guttera pucherani vulturine guineafowl acryllium vulturinum see also meleagrids external links guineafowl links to a guinea fowl message board chat room guinea fowl book hundreds of photographs and free information about raising guineas guineafowl videos on the internet bird collection authoritative international membership and original guinea fowl breeders association the gfba org everything you always wanted and needed to know about guinea fowl international organization for guinea fowl enthusiasts da perleh ns de perlh hner fr pintade ja sibley nl parelhoenders pl perliczka pt numididae ru