Breeding and keeping guinea fowl at home

The homeland of the domestic guinea fowl is Africa. During antiquity, guinea fowls were bred in Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Portuguese travelers once again brought these birds to European countries, after which they could be seen in many bird yards.

In Russia, guinea fowls appeared in the 18th century, at first they were grown as an ornamental species, and only in the 2nd half of the 19th century, the famous domestic poultry breeder Abozin I.I. described the guinea fowl in his book as an agricultural bird and described the methods of its cultivation.

What do birds look like?

Domestic guinea fowl belongs to a number of chickens of the guinea fowl family, it is related to turkeys, chickens and quails. Birds are raised for meat, eggs, feathersused for jewelry, and fluff. Guinea fowl differs from other farm birds by its decorative and dense plumage.

The body of the guinea fowl is of medium length, rounded. The back is convex, wide, slightly lowered behind. High-set flat chest, in females it is fleshy, and in males it is pointed.

The belly of the guinea fowl is tucked up. Wide and short head. The horny brown formation on the head, resembling a helmet, has a triangular shape with a curved tip. The head is bald, covered with blue-white skin. Earrings are red on the outside and white on the inside, diamond-shaped or rounded.

A drawn-in, thin neck, rises high, there are few feathers on its upper part, the skin is bluish, there is delicate plumage on the lower part of the neck, and protruding shield-like feathers are located on the back of the neck.

The beak is curved, massive and strong, orange-red in color with a gray bloom. The shins protrude slightly. The eyes are large, shiny, dark brown. The wings are long and wide, firmly attached to the body. Sagging small tail, includes 16 feathers. Skin color depends on the guinea fowl breed. and can range from light gray to bluish black.

These birds have a restless and fearful temperament. Guinea fowls are very accustomed to one person, and if a stranger enters their corral, the guinea fowls immediately raise a cry, therefore, in order to avoid noise, it is advisable to look after them for one person or permanent staff.

But, despite their increased excitability and the ability to distinguish strangers from their own, guinea fowls get along well with other agricultural birds and can be kept with them in the same enclosure.

Keeping and growing at home

Guinea fowls are not at all fastidious birds, as it seems at first glance. This poultry is bred industrially and in backyard plots. Growing guinea fowls in industry is practically a waste-free production, since these birds value not only meat and eggs, but also feathers.

For breeding guinea fowls, cage, walking or outdoor year-round maintenance is used indoors. Poultry houses for guinea fowls are made a little more than for chickens, since this bird is freedom-loving and does not grow well in small rooms.

Where to begin

Nowadays, many breeders raise guinea fowls on private farms.Breeding and caring for birds is not expensive and time-consuming. Even a novice farmer can handle this. Regular sheds are suitable for keeping guinea fowls.adapted for poultry houses or specially erected buildings. It is better to start breeding with the arrangement of the premises.

The floors in the room are made thoroughly, there should be no holes in them so that rodents cannot penetrate inside and harm the bird. The pavement is built of concrete, on which sawdust, small straw or shavings are poured from above.

The litter should always be dry and changed as it gets dirty. Dampness in the house can provoke the development of diseases in birds. A hole is made at a height of 8-10 cm from the ground. Guinea fowls, like chickens, need a roost.

The distance between the parallel bars of the roost should be 36 cm, the cross-section of the bar is taken at the rate of 4x2 cm.The bar located at the bottom is installed at 40 cm height from the floor level, and the mounting height of the bar located at the top is 60-65 cm. The parameters of the roost are calculated based on the quantity birds: 1 meter - 6 guinea fowls.

Guinea fowls are gregarious birds, so they are kept by families, there are 4 females for 1 male. Guinea fowls react very strongly to lighting.

In what conditions to contain

Light regime for large birds: 27 weeks - 8 hours, 28-43 weeks - 16 hours, 44-50 weeks - 17 hours, from 51 weeks - 18 hours. Opening windows are made in the poultry house, on which a net is attached so that the bird does not fly away ... The house must be regularly ventilated.

In low light, the growth of guinea fowls slows down, which economically negatively adds up to the profitability of production.

During the day, the guinea fowls are kept on walks, and at night they are transferred to the barn. Since the bird can fly, it is better to cover the roof of the enclosures with a net. There should be no trees on the walks so that the bird cannot spend the night on the branches, as this will lead them to run wild.

The walks should be large and spacious, guinea fowls are very will-loving birds. The presence of grass in the enclosures will only benefit the birds. Guinea fowl loves to eat beetles, worms and even ticks.

Comfortable temperature in the house is 14-18 ° С. Guinea fowls endure severe frosts and when kept in winter, the poultry houses are heated only during very strong and prolonged cold weather. In winter, it is required to monitor the ventilation of the premises.

Characteristics and weight

Male guinea fowls have a live weight of 1.5-1.6 kg, and females - 1.6-1.7 kg. Puberty begins at about 8-8.5 months. Egg production by seasons, lasts 6-8 months.

From 1 bird receive up to 120 eggs weighing 45-46 g. Hatchability reaches 90%. The safety of young animals is 95-99%. Duration of incubation is 28 days. The eggs are light brown in color, round in shape and with a thick shell.

The structure of the shell is so dense that eggs can be stored at temperatures from 0 to 10 ° C for six months without losing their nutritional, taste and quality indicators.

See other features and benefits of this breed:

For 1 kg of growth there is 3-3.4 kg of feed. The guinea fowl consumes 150-200 g of feed per day. At 70 days, the chicks weigh 800-850 g. By the age of 3 months, the bird is gaining a slaughter weight - 1.1-1.3 kg. By 5 months, the growth rate decreases, since the maximum live weight of 1.7-2 kg is reached.

The lethal yield is 82-85%. Guinea fowl meat is drier and unlike chicken carcasses, it has 15% more muscle tissue.

Varieties of guinea fowl

There are more than 20 guinea fowl breeds in the world, differing in appearance and productivity. The most common and adapted to our climatic conditions are the following breeds: gray-speckled, Zagorskaya white-breasted, Siberian white, cream or suede, blue, Volga white, blue lilac, white and yellow.

• Gray speckled breed, which used to be the most popular, and now it has spent its weight due to the breeding of new, more productive species. The plumage is gray, covered with white round spots, the legs are also gray.
  

  

  The females of the gray-speckled breed weigh 1.7 kg, and the males 1.6 kg.Sexual maturity occurs at 8 months. The average number of eggs from 1 hen is 90 pieces.

• Zagorsk white-breasted breed acquired its name due to the peculiar color of the plumage. The back and wings of the bird are gray-speckled, and the belly, chest and neck are pure white. The male reaches 2 kg, and the female 2.5 kg. Sexual maturity occurs at 7.5 months. Egg production is 115-116 eggs.
• Siberian white guinea fowl cream-white color with snow-white round spots all over the plumage. The carcass of these birds is white and pink. Males weigh 1.6-1.8 kg and females 1.9-2 kg. Average egg production per year is 100-110 eggs. Birds of this breed grow faster, have a calmer disposition and are much more hardy than other species.
• Cream or suede guinea fowl has a light plumage with white spots. The breed is similar in plumage to the Siberian white guinea fowl, only it is smaller in size, and the carcasses are dark in color. A characteristic feature of this breed is its quick adaptation to any climate. The weight of males is 1.6 kg, and that of females is 1.7 kg. Physiological maturity occurs at 8 months.
• Blue guinea fowl rarely found on farms. The main color is gray-blue with white spots, and the neck and part of the chest are purple. The male weighs 1.5-2 kg, and the female 2-2.5 kg. Egg production is 120-150 eggs. The eggs are covered with small dots that sometimes overlap.
• Volzhskaya white Guinea fowl has spread widely in the Republic of Mari-El. The plumage and carcasses are white. Live weight of males 1.6 kg, females 1.7 kg. Egg production: 85-90 eggs.

Breeding, feeding and care

Guinea fowls are fed 3 times a day. In the morning, they feed an ordinary wet feed mixture or dry compound feed, and in the afternoon and evening, grain or dry grain mixture. Barley and wheat are best fed in germinated form. Before the start of laying, the feeding of the parent flock is intensified.

Guinea fowl requires a lot of green foddertherefore it is necessary to include grass, silage or grass meal in the diet. When kept outdoors, an adult guinea fowl per year consumes: 32-36 kg of grain, 12 kg of green mass, 4 kg of root crops, 3.5 kg of animal feed and 2 kg of mineral supplements.

How to care for chickens

Since guinea fowls are very shy birds, it is better to use an incubator to breed chicks. After hatching from zero days, good chicks are distinguished by mobility, strong legs, shiny eyes, a retracted umbilical cord, smooth down, a tucked up belly and a clean cloaca.

Chickens are kept in a dry room at a temperature of 18-22 ˚С, with a humidity of 65-70%. The room is equipped with artificial sources of heat and light.

After hatching, chicks begin to feed 5 times a day, and from 2 months. the amount is reduced to 3-4 times. In the early days, boiled crushed eggs and cottage cheese are given. After a few days, milk powder, a mixture of wheat, barley, corn and oatmeal is introduced into the diet.

After 5 days the diet includes mineral supplements, gravel and shells... From 7 days, wet mash with finely chopped alfalfa, nettle and clover are fed. Small guinea fowls are released into the street after 2-3 weeks of life.

Diseases of chickens and adult birds

Guinea fowls are resistant and immune to diseases of birds, but, despite this, they are still susceptible to some diseases, which arise mainly due to unsanitary conditions of detention.

• Trichomoniasis. Young individuals who consume dirty food or water contaminated with Trichomonas are susceptible to diseases. With this disease, frothy yellow diarrhea appears in guinea fowls, the birds lose their appetite and drink a lot of water, move little and lower their wings. A slimy plaque appears on the pharynx and goiter, which makes it difficult to breathe and eat food.For treatment, the drug ipronidozole and cardiozol are used, as well as antihelminthic therapy for all birds.
• Pasteurellosis. The disease occurs when young animals are infected with Pasteurella. Symptoms: lethargy, inactivity, high pyrexia, bloody, yellow, gray or green droppings, nasal mucous discharge. The infected bird is destroyed.
• Pullorosis. The bird practically stops moving, poor coordination is observed, the stool is white or yellowish. Affected guinea fowls are culled, and the whole herd is soldered with penicillin or biomycin.
• Mycoplasmosis. The bird breathes heavily, sneezes, and over time wheezing appears, liquid comes out from the nose, eyes turn red, and gastrointestinal upset may occur. For treatment, streptomycin and biomycin are used. As a prophylaxis of the disease, young animals are soldered with Baytril or Enroxil.

Advantages and disadvantages of guinea fowl

Advantages:

• Strong immunity... Immunity to disease.
• Good adaptive abilities.
• They are very low and high temperatures.
• Unpretentiousness in feeding.
• Feel great on walks
• High meat quality. Healthy eggs.
• Feathers guinea fowl are in great demand.

Flaws:

• Noisy.
• Shy, and this negatively affects the incubation of chicks, therefore, it is better to use an incubator for breeding offspring.
• On productive and life processes lighting strongly affects.

Conclusion

Guinea fowls are unpretentious and very beautiful birds used for both agricultural and decorative needs. Meat and egg products are distinguished by their nutritional value and usefulness.

Reviews

Guinea fowls are beautiful birds, not only in appearance, but also in productive qualities. The bird looks so decorative that it seems that it is not bred for meat, but for the soul. To get offspring you must use an incubatoras broods are shy and often leave nests unattended. Poultry yard website

The bird grows quickly, 4 months and can be cut.

Eggs are better than chicken eggs and do not provoke allergies, they can be safely given to children and are not afraid of the consequences. The truth is they say that guinea fowls replace the dog, as soon as a stranger enters the yard, then noise rises in the whole district.

The bird helps to fight pests, they eat all the bugs and other parasites.

For maintenance, a major, insulated shed is not needed in winter, the guinea fowls feel fine, they have to be heated only in very cold weather. Forum International Compound

I used to think that guinea fowls are decorative birds, not agricultural ones, but, as it turned out, I was greatly mistaken. Lovely meat, a bit like game and nutritious eggs, loved my whole family. I have been breeding these birds for the second year and so far I am very pleased.

They eat little and grow quickly. Over the summer I raise young animals for meat, and for the winter I leave only the parent flock for procreation. Yes, they are noisy, but this does not interfere with their content at all, I would even say on the contrary that it helps. If the bird starts screaming, then something is wrong. In comfortable and without external stimuli conditions, the guinea fowl behaves calmly and quietly. Poultry Forum