How to Raise Guinea Fowl

July 7, 2024 by Lauro Braganza

So you want to raise guinea fowl but don’t know how? Continue reading. The Guinea Fowl, also called Pintadas, are interesting birds to breed. It can also provide eggs, meat, pest control, and alert birds. They also attract birds to have in the neighborhood. Whatever your reason for raising these birds, they will make a good addition to your farm.

The guinea fowl is a practically unknown bird in Spain and in most European countries, except France and Italy, which are the two largest producers of guinea fowl meat in Europe and are responsible for 99 percent of one-day pintados that enter European farms. Graffiti was introduced to Europe for commercial purposes by the French to compete with game meat.

They originate in West Central Africa south of the Sahara, and although they were already known to the Greeks and Romans, they have only recently been exploited to compete with game meat. Medium-sized birds range from 53 to 63 cm., depending on the lineage. They have an ovoid body shape, a slender neck, a downward-sloping tail, and tarsi with the thumb higher than the other fingers.

Even if guinea fowl are a bit wilder, their reproduction, called agricultural agriculture, resembles that of chickens, however, with some differences. It should be known that Guinea fowl are domestic animals that are quite shy and nervous. That is why they live in small groups of four or five. Here’s what you need to know to raise guinea fowl well.

They have a small and short head, a beak, and a reddish-brown pyramidal horn cap. They have intense red caruncles. They have a bluish-gray or pearl gray plumage with white sequined spots. The skin is white, slightly bluish on the head, although with black spots.

Guinea Fowl Habitat

To raise guinea fowls, having a field in the country is better, with no neighbors too close. It should be known that these pets, and especially the males, are very loud due to their high-pitched cries and screams. If guinea fowls are simple enough to breed, separating them from other animals in the pen should be possible because they are quite disputed. On the other hand, keeping guinea fowl away from cultivated areas where they can cause harm is advisable.

Otherwise, there is no need to provide shelter with special characteristics. A simple makeshift shelter can be enough from the moment it can be put out of danger from possible predators and drafts, because the guinea fowl is cold, especially the smallest, the guinea fowl. These domestic birds require a well-maintained litter made of soft, moisture-wicking wood chips that are not suitable for guinea fowl at all.

Guinea fowl need perches, located at least 1.5 meters above the ground, where they settle to sleep.

Guinea Fowl Feeding

Guinea fowl are omnivorous. When raised outdoors, they are true insect eaters. Guinea fowl detect the slightest movement in the pasture and capture their food, which is also made up of sprouted grains and vegetation. You can give them in addition to cereal mixes such as wheat, oats, barley, or corn. If your guinea fowls do not have enough room for a balanced diet, you must supplement their food with fresh greens and pâtés (mixtures of flour, bran, herbs, and water) like those intended for chickens.

Water is an integral part of the guinea fowl feed. It is important to ensure they always have enough and that the water is clean and healthy.

The Health of Guinea Fowl

Guinea fowl mortality is quite significant. It is due, among other things, to excessive heat, or on the contrary to too cold, lack of space, drinkers contaminated by diseases, or the presence of worms, for example. Adult Guinea fowl are prone to diseases (Newcastle disease, infectious bursal disease, fowl pox, etc.) and others caused by worms or external parasites such as mites, ticks, fleas, and lice. To avoid these health problems, the important thing is to feed them well and protect them well.

What Regulation for a Guinea Fowl Farm?

As for all farm animals, guinea fowl breeding is not subject to specific authorizations as long as the number of animals older than 30 days does not exceed 50. In addition, it is considered an agricultural farm to comply with specific professional regulations.

6 Easy Steps to Raise Guinea Fowl at Home and Make it Productive

Step 1: Buy More Than One Guinea Fowl

Buy six chicks. These are available in poultry stores, and buying six will ensure that at least one is a male to fertilize the eggs. It is desirable to start with healthy chicks if you plan to raise guinea fowl.

Step 2: Feeding

Drinker for chickens, baby pheasant or turkey food, and an incubator with a heating lamp.

Feed the chicks pheasant or turkey baby food and keep them warm and happy. Set the temperature in your incubator at 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees C) for the first week. You can go down to the temperature of five degrees per week.

Step 3: Water matters

Soak the chicks’ beaks when they arrive. This will help them learn to drink water. Keep his drinker full of clean and warm water, which will keep his body temperature high.

Step 4: Chicken coop construction

Build a chicken coop for your guineas. These birds like to wander the farm, looking for insects and vermin to eat. However, if you get them used to the chicken coop, they will often return to sleep there at night.

Step 5: Restrict their food, and they will help you fight pests

Limit your food during the summer months. This will cause them to eat more ticks, crickets, and even small rodents. You can support their diet with turkey feed if you wish.

Step 6: Playback

Let nature take its course. The female and male will know when to breed and how to care for their young, and you can rest and enjoy watching your little flock grow. They have been exploited mainly as producers of high-quality meat similar to chicken. The annual number of eggs per guinea fowl is from 160 to 180. Egg weight at 30 or 35 weeks from 38 to 39 g. Egg weight at 55 or 60 weeks 51 to 52 g.

The best results are obtained through artificial insemination, which means having the adult birds in controlled environment houses and installing them in batteries—producing “label” poultry. Birds must be raised in the wild, so much more space is required than when exploited in confinement.

Common questions on how to raise guinea fowl in the Philippines

Are guinea fowls good to eat?

Guinea fowl can also be raised for meat and egg production. The meat of young guineas is tender and tastes like that of wild game. The meat is lean and rich in essential amino acids. Guinea eggs can be eaten just like chicken eggs (and should be collected daily if not used for hatching purposes).

Which countries have guinea fowl?

Some perch high on treetops. The helmeted guinea fowl has been introduced in East Africa, South America, the West Indies, the United States, Britain, and India, where it is raised as food or pets.

Is guinea fowl healthier than chicken?

Guinea fowl meat is leaner and has a gamey flavor. Chicken meat is lean, slightly fattier than the kind you get from guinea fowl, and only a little gamey. Guinea fowl meat is darker, gamier, and leaner than chicken meat. The meat is more difficult to cook properly, and its flavor does not appeal to everyone.

How much does a guinea fowl chick cost?

Guinea fowl keets, or chicks, cost P250 to P600 for the common varieties. Guinea fowl are foraging birds but need additional food. Keets will need high-protein food for development, whereas adult guinea fowl need 16% protein poultry feed.

Do guineas keep snakes away?

Surprisingly, guinea fowl are with you in the fight against snakes. Guineas are very aggressive towards snakes and often kill snakes that don’t run away. Not only do guinea fowls attack snakes, but even rodents also are not safe on their watch. Guinea fowls are known to hunt and eat rodents.

What does guinea fowl taste like?

The flavor is often compared to pheasant or described as extra-tasty chicken. The lean meat stands up nicely to strong herbs and spices, and guinea hen can be fried like chicken, braised with herbs and root vegetables, or roasted with butter or duck fat.