Broiler guinea fowl: description and types, breeding and keeping at home

Quality characteristics are important for poultry breeders. Such a species as broiler guinea fowl has earned positive ratings from farmers from different countries. The bird is valued for its unpretentiousness, calm nature, disease resistance and high yields. In addition to the direct purpose, which involves obtaining tasty high-quality meat, it is possible to consistently obtain egg products from guinea fowls.

Origin and features of appearance

Guinea fowl bred by French breeders. The purpose of crossing the species was to obtain birds of high meat quality.The result of the work was the emergence of guinea fowls with excellent external data and the ability to produce up to 140 eggs annually. In addition to egg production, birds are famous for their excellent meat quality, as well as the ability to quickly gain weight.

Appearance of a broiler guinea fowl:

TorsoMassive body has an oval shape, the growth of an adult bird reaches 50 centimetersWeightCarcass weight reaches 4 kilogramsColoring Plumage

Feature	Description
Basic shade of color - gray or gray-pearl
Dense plumage on body, lack of plumage on the legs

Information! In some guinea fowls, the area in the chest area has blue plumage.

Pros and cons

Broiler guinea fowls have their advantages and disadvantages. Among the advantages, farmers note the following characteristics:

• excellent quality of dietary meat, the taste is not lost during heat treatment;
• eggs do not cause allergic reactions, unlike reactions to chicken eggs;
• birds are unpretentious in food, do not require increased attention to themselves;
• the species is highly resistant to infectious diseases;
• when breeding, the farmer receives a lot of good quality feathers from guinea fowl;
• Guinea fowl are distinguished by a calm, friendly character.

The disadvantages of the species is the inability to incubate eggs on their own. Guinea fowls lay them in different places, then immediately leave the nest. Guinea fowls like to fly, so when walking, you need to carefully monitor the livestock.

Varieties of broiler guinea fowls

Crossing made it possible to obtain several varieties of the main species, which have distinctive features:

1. Grey-speckled. The name is given by the description of the plumage color. Another name is French guinea fowl. This species was bred in France, but today it is almost never grown in its homeland.
2. Blue. The breed is distinguished by the color of feathers. Gray-white feathers under certain lighting cast blue. The peculiarity of the breed is resistance to leukemia.
3. Siberian whites. Birds of this breed are hardy, but have low productivity.
4. Cream. The rarest guinea fowl, which are almost never bred. Small size, low egg production make this species decorative.

Productivity Metrics

In terms of productivity, the breed of blue guinea fowl is the leader.She gives 150 eggs per year with an adult bird weighing 2.5 kilograms. Grey-speckled birds provide stability. Females carry about 140 eggs annually, the weight of an adult bird reaches 4 kilograms. Cream birds weigh only 1.7 kilograms, lay up to 100 eggs annually.

Conditions of maintenance and care at home

Despite the fact that guinea fowls are classified as unpretentious birds, they need to be provided with decent living conditions.

For breeding birds, a poultry house is required, as well as an organized walking area. Requirements for the arrangement of the poultry house:

1. The construction of the poultry house is planned in a sunny open area, this is due to the fact that the birds need the maximum amount of incoming sunlight. The area must be protected from through winds, as poultry are prone to colds.
2. Windows are necessarily made in the poultry house, which are covered not only with glass, but also with nets, so that the guinea fowls cannot injure themselves when trying to fly away.
3. The room is insulated in accessible ways, in winter the guinea fowl will freeze, start to hurt if the walls are not insulated enough. Inside, the temperature is maintained in the range from +15 to +25 degrees. In winter, artificial lighting is provided so that the birds receive enough light.

Indoors install nests, feeders, equip perches:

1. One nest is made for 6-8 birds. It is covered with a layer of straw, which is changed weekly.
2. Perches are made at a height of up to 40 centimeters from the floor. The distance between them should be 30-40 centimeters.
3. Floor mats are made from peat, sand, straw. The flooring is changed 1 or 2 times monthly.
4. The design of feeders or drinkers depends on the footage of the room. Experienced farmers advise installing oblong-shaped feeders along the perimeter of the walls.

The issue of disinfection of premises deserves special attention. Once every 3 months, the walls are treated and cleaned of litter. Every six months, the premises are treated for parasites. With the beginning of summer and the beginning of autumn, a general disinfection treatment is carried out with special means.

Help! The walls inside the house are pre-painted with a solution of lime. This method helps to avoid the formation of mold at the joints of the boards.

Feeding broilers

Guinea fowl are fed in the same way as domestic chickens. Menus are tailored to the changing seasons. In the spring, vitamins are added to the feed, in the fall the amount of minerals is increased. The diet of guinea fowl consists of combined feed, hay, grass, peas, processed silage, pea grains. Bone meal, yeast and chalk are periodically added to the feed.

The main feeds are considered fresh herbs, grains and boiled and chopped root crops. Birds get the necessary micro and macro elements from vegetables. An increased intake of fiber contributes to a more thorough and high-quality digestion.

Besides, birds need a source of valuable protein. Such sources are food and meat and dairy waste. To feed the bird for slaughter in a short time, high-calorie food with a high content of proteins and carbohydrates is added to the diet.

Help! In summer, the bird feeds on insects, independently extracts worms and caterpillars.

Nuances of breeding

Breeding requires a special approach. For 4-5 females, one fertile male is selected that meets the basic requirements. Among the total number of livestock, 2-3 males are traditionally left. The main condition for breeding is the selection of he althy birds.This mechanism ensures good offspring.

Female guinea fowl are very shy, this is reflected in the hatching process. Birds often leave their nests with their eggs laid if some noise scares them away. After that, they do not return to hatching, then the farmer has to lay their eggs on the hens. To prevent this from happening, nests for guinea fowls are equipped in secluded places of the house, where they are comfortable and warm.

Young animals are bred according to the traditional scheme. To do this, use an incubator or control the process of incubation of offspring. Caring for chicks requires attention. Young animals are kept in special pens for some time, where they receive the necessary food and additional lighting.

Possible diseases

Diseases that guinea fowls are susceptible to are classified according to the type of infection. Infectious diseases are transmitted from one bird to another, can infect the entire livestock and cause significant damage to the economy, so breeders pay great attention to prevention. Infectious diseases include:

1. Trichomonosis. A disease caused by the spread of a parasite. It is transmitted through contaminated objects, traces remain in the litter, on the surface of the nest litter. The disease is expressed by the development of acute diarrhea, the bird loses its appetite, becomes lethargic. Treatment is possible at the initial stage. It includes deworming medications and vitamin injections.
2. Pullorose. A dangerous disease that quickly affects the entire livestock. Guinea fowls become uncoordinated, bird feces resemble thick white foam. Pullorosis affects chicks, the disease is caused by genetic disorders and infections during hatching. Chicks begin to breathe with their beak from the 1st or 5th day of existence, then acute signs appear.

Non-communicable diseases include a group of diseases associated with violations of content. An improperly composed diet leads to the development of dyspepsia, which threatens with serious consequences. Dyspepsia is diagnosed by the following features:

• diarrhea with foam and mucus;
• lethargy, apathy;
• loss of appetite;
• lack of mobility.

Chicks are fed with a solution of baking soda, vitamins and minerals are added to the diet.

One of the unpleasant diseases is bird rhinitis. It develops due to drafts in the poultry house, is a condition when mucous secretions flow from the beak, at the same time the guinea fowl stops eating. Relief comes by itself, with a difficult course, the bird is recommended to instill antibacterial drugs.

Guinea fowls are birds that often have gout. Growths appear on the joints, which are formed due to the deposition of s alts. This leads to loss of limb mobility. Owners can prevent gout by adding a variety of vitamins and minerals to their diet. The same type of food provokes deposits and leads to irreversible consequences. The rule for keeping domestic broiler guinea fowl is timely vaccination. This technique helps to avoid many infectious diseases and secure the existence of livestock.

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