Description and breeding of broiler guinea fowls
Broiler guinea fowl are increasingly being grown by private farms for home growing.
Broiler guinea fowl
About broiler guinea fowl breeds
Today, broiler guinea fowls have become popular poultry for their high production rates and high survival rates.
Until the moment of cultivation for agricultural purposes, the guinea-fowl broilers were little known. From their African ancestors, they received a stable immune system, became fearful and cautious, at the same time noisy and friendly to humans and other animals. They have good health, inherited at the genetic level, birds rarely get sick. Able to quickly adapt to new living conditions, they endure both hot and cold climates.
Not only the decorative appearance, but also the agricultural productivity of broiler guinea fowls was appreciated at its true worth by the domestic poultry industry back in the 18th century. Poultry has become famous among culinary experts for its delicious meat.
Today, the Russian agricultural poultry industry is breeding broiler guinea fowls using several types:
- the most famous was the gray-speckled bird, so named for its color, also called French,
- a small population of broiler guinea fowls bred in Russia belongs to the blue breed, which stands out for its stable immunity against many diseases of poultry, including leukemia, but the small number is due to their low viability,
- white-breasted Zagorsk broilers appeared as a result of crossing with chicken representatives, they are described as fluffy and loose in plumage, with white breasts, and they took taste from chickens,
- the Siberian white guinea fowl began to be recognized, thanks to its endurance, the indicators of which exceed the figures of all other broilers, but they are rarely bred due to their low productivity,
- cream-colored broiler guinea fowls with a gray head are rare in their kind, they bring the least amount of production from all types of broiler guinea fowls and are inferior to the rest in proportions.
About French guinea-fowl broilers
Breeding of gray-speckled French broiler guinea fowls at home became possible thanks to the genetic selection of gray-speckled broilers, therefore the broiler guinea fowl breed is native to France. As a result of breeding work, large birds appeared: adults reach a weight of 3.0 kg. Among the main breed characteristics of the French, the following can be noted:
- a small oval-shaped head, disproportionate in size to a large body on a thin elongated neck,
- the beak stands out with a blue horny outgrowth,
- on the side of the head there are earrings that look like turkey earrings,
- downward pointing little tail,
- a dark-colored muscle mass shines through the thin skin,
- wings with rather developed muscles.
A characteristic feature of the description of the French is their feather color: gray in white small spots.
The description of French broiler guinea fowls refers these birds to the meat direction, since in a short time they give a large increase in dietary meat. However, guinea fowls from France can boast of good numbers of egg production: up to 150 pieces per year, while each egg weighs from 50 g.
Gray-speckled French broiler guinea fowls are able to fly and overcome obstacles, therefore, to prevent leaving their places of residence and walking, French guinea fowls are clipped.
French poultry meat is similar in taste to wild game and contains a small amount of hemoglobin. Due to the absence of a fat layer, the color of the carcass has a bluish tone, but during cooking it changes to a lighter color, similar to the color of chicken meat.
Principles of keeping guinea-fowl broilers
Industrial cultivation of guinea fowls in Russia is not efficient enough. Among the negative characteristics of the cultivation and maintenance of this poultry, an increase in the cost of production is noted due to the duration of the feeding process.
If we compare the performance indicators of different types of meat guinea fowl, then the comparative characteristics in terms of numbers will be as follows:
- the top line is occupied by the French line, producing up to 135 eggs per year and reaching 2.5 kg by 10 months,
- blue broiler guinea fowls grow to the same age up to 2.0 kg and are able to bring up to 120 eggs annually,
- Siberian birds can grow up to 1.8 kg with an egg production of up to 150 eggs, ranking third in productivity among common species of broiler guinea fowl,
- Zagorsk poultry can produce up to 1.8 kg of meat when they reach ten months of age and up to 140 eggs per year,
- Volga broilers are the fifth in terms of productivity, gain weight in 10 months up to 1.6 kg and have egg production up to 115 pieces,
- creamy guinea fowls close the circle in terms of productivity, gaining weight no more than 1.5 kg and giving out no more than 110 eggs annually.
Broiler breeding of guinea fowls in a private farm is based on a number of features:
- the bird gains the highest growth rate with organized comfortable bedding,
- birds accustomed to freedom require a large space for themselves, the rate of planting guinea fowls is no more than 10 broilers per 1 sq. m,
- broilers are kept in fenced off compartments, each containing no more than 4 hundred chicks.
For the full-fledged growth and development of guinea-fowl broilers, it is important to provide them with the opportunity to move freely, since physical activity gives an impetus to intensive weight gain.
Guinea fowl broilers tend to be crowded, which leads to the presence of constant noise in places of their concentration. When keeping domestic guinea fowls, a persistent smell is not observed, similar to that of breeding chicken breeds.
Feed ration and breeding
For broiler birds in the process of keeping and breeding, a feed ration is suitable, which is used in the conditions of growing chicken breeds. This is possible due to the physiological similarity of poultry. In the diet of the Caesar breeds, grain, compound feed are used, they are fed with legumes with the addition of fish meal. The inclusion of mineral complexes and the addition of nutritious baits to the diet of guinea fowls depends on the region of their breeding and maintenance, as well as on the breed of poultry.
In the process of growing guinea fowls, many farmers are inclined to use antibiotics for them for preventive purposes.
Young guinea fowls are bred when breeding broilers in artificial incubators, since birds that are shy by nature are not able to provide as much care for the offspring as is required when growing them. In the process of incubation, the adults constantly leave their nests, leaving eggs.
The economically viable period of growing and keeping broiler guinea fowls is no more than 3 months. Further, it becomes unprofitable to raise young animals due to unjustified costs for feed ration and maintenance, since an adult individual suspends the intensity of weight gain, while maintaining the valuable tenderness of meat.