Meet the Keets - Guineas Part 5

Guineas come in a variety of colors and patterns. We ordered a selection of assorted colors, chosen at random from the following: Brown, Powder Blue, Chocolate, Violet, Sky Blue, Pewter, Lavender, Royal Purple, coral Blue, Bluff Dundotte, Buff, Porcelaine, Opaline, and Slate. Based soley on my amateur observances, we think our eleven are composed of eight different varieties.

Here they are:

Violet 1

Violet 2

Numbers 1 and 2 are also the first two that hatched. Look at their heads. There's a solid light brown patch on top. We think these will be Violet as adults. Here's the description from the author of Gardening for Guineas.

Keets are a rusty red color with a white belly and wings. These are very cute. As they feather they gradually change to the steel blue color and then darken to a dusty black, with the purple sheen.

Other possibilities are pewter or slate.

Blue 1

 

Blue 2

The next two above are one of the blues.  Which one, I'm not sure, but they could be Coral Blue, Porcelaine, Opaline, or Powder Blue.

Blondie

This one we call Blondie.  Very light tan color.  Chocolate, Buff or Buff Dundotte.

Darker Blondie

This one is a little darker than Blondie, maybe the same as Blondie, but a different sex.  I dunno.

White Face Friendly Fella

 This one has a white face, with brown stripes.  We have two of these.  This one is the most friendly and will hop on your hand when offerring seed.

White Face #2



Number 9 - Narrow Stripe



Number 10 - Medium Stripe

Number 11 - Wide Stripe

Numbers 9-11 are very similar, and we are unable to assign them to a category. Number 9 has a narrow, brown stripe on the middle of his head. Number 10 is the same with a slightly wider stripe, and Number 11 has the widest stripe.

We'll be watching as they feather out and characteristics become more pronounced. Also looking for more names, so make suggestions. No more 'Gimpy', since the bandaids have come off, and they are all walking normally.

Maybe other eyes can look at the various color keys and make guesses.

Color Key 1.  Color Key 2.  Color Key 3.

UPDATE:  Sad news. 10:15 Sunday night.  Just checked on the Keets, and #10, medium sized stripe, has died.  Now have only 10.  Poor thing.