Domestic guinea fowl. guinea fowl at home

Guinea fowls are still not often found in the farms of our country. The content of homemade guinea fowls has many advantages. For example, it should be noted that these birds are unpretentious. They are perfectly tolerate any climatic conditions. African chickens (the so-called chickens, because their homeland is Africa) feel good both at high temperatures and in cold. Guinea fowls get sick less often than other poultry.

Why breed guinea fowl at home?

They bring these birds because of their lean meat, which, among other things, is of high quality. In their meat is less water and fat than in chicken. However, this does not prevent the guinea fowl to be extremely nutritious. Guinea fowl contains 27% protein. The taste of African chicken meat resembles game, for example, it can be compared with pheasant meat or partridge. Guinea fowl meat is the best in terms of biological indicators among poultry. This fact can explain the fact that in foreign countries guinea fowl meat is valued 1.5-3 times higher than chicken.

but its taste and benefits stand out not only meat but also guinea fowl eggs. Their big advantage is the presence of a very thick shell, which allows the eggs to be stored for a long time. Guinea fowl eggs can be stored at home for up to six months at a temperature of 0 to 10 ° C. Another advantage of African hens eggs is that they do not cause allergic reactions in children and adults.

The content of guinea fowls at home

• Due to the fact that guinea fowls are much less likely than other poultry to become ill, their breeding becomes profitable.
• Per kilogram of weight gain to these birds requires only 4 kg of feed.
• As for the species, Volga blue, Siberian white, Zagor white-breasted and gray-crested guinea fowl are the most popular among breeders of guinea fowls.
• The mass of an adult guinea fowl is about 1.5-1.8 kg.
• In one season, African chickens can carry up to 120 eggs. Weight Guinea fowl eggs ranges from 38 to 50 g each. Eggs of these birds are less chicken, but in no way inferior to them in calories. Moreover, the eggs of guinea fowls are almost twice as high as chicken in the content of group B vitamins, as well as vitamins A, D3 and E.

• The benefit of keeping guinea fowls also lies in the fact that this bird is irreplaceable pest control on personal plots. Guinea fowls with pleasure destroy insects, worms and slugs, and also successfully fight the Colorado potato beetle (which is not characteristic of any other poultry).
• However, not only benefit is an argument in favor of growing guinea fowls. Another big plus is that it’s not difficult to provide them with the right content. Guinea fowls have low sensitivity to cold, so almost any room will be suitable for their maintenance..
• When breeding these birds, you should remember that guinea fowls are extremely shy, so they make very bad mothers. In this regard, it is better to hatch young in an incubator, and if there is no such possibility, then the eggs should be laid with a hen chicken.
• Young guinea fowl should be kept in a room where it is clean and dry. In the first 20 days of life, the bird needs to be heated, since during this period the guinea fowers show a strong sensitivity to drafts. After this period, the young guinea fowl no longer needs additional heating if the temperature in the room is 18–22 ° C. If the temperature is higher, then the young guinea fowl may appear lethargy, they begin to drink a lot and do not eat much.
• The optimum air humidity for guinea fowls is 65-67%.
• Feedlittle czar should be immediately after their birth. At first after birth, chicks need food 5 times a day, and from two months of age they can be fed 3-4 times a day. The ration of the chicken kingdom is similar to the menu, which is most often offered to chickens. In addition to the feed for birds, young tsaryaty need to give finely chopped chicken eggs, cottage cheese and various cereals, which must first be removed from the shells. Also, young animals need vitamin and protein feed (for example, fish and meat waste, peas, young green clover, alfalfa, nettle).

• To replenish the supply of minerals, the birds need to give chalk, as well as crushed boiled egg shells. Small gravel and shells should be placed in a separate feeder. This is necessary for grinding food.
• When queens grow up, of them choose the best and put them in the parent flock. It is necessary to do this when an individual reaches 1 kg in weight. In parallel, you need to eliminate extra males. As a rule, three females are left per male. Distinguish male from female possible for larger earlobes and more corals on the head.
• After the first selection in the diet of guinea fowls, one should reduce the amount of protein foods and introduce more root crops and green grass. Finally, the parent flock is formed in the autumn, when it is necessary to conduct a second selection of guinea fowls. This time there should be four females for one male. Now males can be easily distinguished by the humpy-shaped outline of the head, thicker penises, brilliant eyes and bright-colored earrings.
• When selecting guinea fowls, their plumage plays an important role. It should be borne in mind that later others begin to shed good hens, they complete the molting faster than any other.
• In winter, for adult guinea fowls it is necessary to warm the room. To do this, lay a litter on the floor. This may be sand, peat, straw or sawdust. Pour litter should be a layer of 10-15 cm.
• In the house should be excluded drafts and closely monitor the light regime. Lighting affects the speed of puberty of guinea fowls, therefore, when individuals reach seven months of age, the length of daylight hours is adjusted to 16 hours

• To feed the guinea fowls, divorced at home, not demanding. These birds can eat various food waste, as well as carrots, potatoes, beets and chopped green grass are introduced into their diets.
• From the time females start rushing, proteins are added to their diet.
• As mentioned above, guinea fowl like to eat various insects, worms slugs. Guinea fowls love to walk around the gardens, but at the same time the beds are not torn. You can not let them only where there is cabbage, otherwise they will peck heads.

African chickens get along very well with other inhabitants of the yard. These birds fly high and run fast, so predators rarely catch them.

Guinea fowls are not only birds that have tasty meat, but can also be very useful in the economy.What is worth only one of their ability to exterminate pests. In addition, they are unpretentious in the care at home!