What Do Guinea Fowl Eat? Feed Formulation and Feeding Methods

Guinea fowl is a new breed of meat poultry, and it is currently becoming increasingly popular in our country, so many farmers have started raising guinea fowl. So what do guinea fowl eat?

1. What do guinea fowl eat?

Guinea fowl and ordinary native chickens have basically the same feeding habits. Generally, farmers feed guinea fowl complete chick feed in the early stage, and in the middle and later stages feed them feed, or omnivorous food, grains, corn, green vegetables, pasture, etc. Guinea fowl raising methods are generally divided into: cage raising and free-range raising. Generally, cereals, bran, cakes, fish bone meal, etc. can all be used for mixed feeding. In addition, they are especially fond of eating green plants such as grass, vegetables, leaves, and fruits.

Energy feed: corn, brown rice, paddy rice, sorghum, wheat bran, wheat middlings. Full-fat rice bran, defatted rice bran, wheat, oils and fats.

Protein feed: extruded soybeans, soybean meal, soybean cake. Cottonseed meal, peanut meal, rapeseed meal, sesame meal, sunflower seed meal. Corn gluten meal, corn germ meal, whole fish meal, mixed fish meal, hydrolyzed feather meal, meat meal and meat-and-bone meal.

Mineral feed: calcium phosphate, bone meal, stone powder, shell powder.

Special additives: plant enzymes, colorants.

Green feed additives: enzyme preparations, Chinese herbal feed additives, acid preparations, saccharicterpenin.

2. Characteristics of guinea fowl

Strong adaptability. Guinea fowl like dryness and dislike dampness, and have strong tolerance to adverse external environments, especially strong heat tolerance. Adult birds can still live at 0°C or lower temperatures, and at as high as 35°C they can still remain calm and their egg production is even unaffected; therefore, they are especially suitable for household raising.

Nervous temperament. Guinea fowl are timid, nervous, and easily startled. Once something unexpected happens, the flock becomes restless, makes alarm calls, and flies about wildly, often causing fractures or tears of the neck, legs, and wings, and even death from fright-induced suffocation.

Strong flocking behavior. When kept free-range or scattered, dozens or hundreds of guinea fowl often gather together, and at the slightest unusual disturbance they press against one another; even birds that have strayed can find their own flock.

Good at flying and fond of perching high. At 3 months of age, guinea fowl can fly onto roofs, a distance of about 3 m. Therefore, netting should be installed, or the large flight feathers should be pulled out. When resting, they like to perch high, especially at night; therefore, perches should be set up inside the housing.

Mate selectivity. Guinea fowl are selective about the opposite sex; therefore, the fertilization rate is low during natural mating. Artificial insemination can solve this problem.

Broad and varied diet. Long-term wild living has given guinea fowl a relatively broad diet; for example, corn, soybean cake, bran, fish meal, wheat, bone meal, oyster shell powder, salt, vitamins, and trace elements can all be used to formulate their daily ration. In particular, guinea fowl like eating green plants, which can both reduce costs and improve meat quality.

Fond of dust bathing. An artificial dust bath should be provided inside the housing to make it easier for them to clean their feathers, which is beneficial to their health.

The raising methods for guinea fowl are similar to those for ordinary chickens, but their meat is tender, delicious, high in protein, and low in fat, and they are currently loved by many people.