How and at what age do guinea fowls lay eggs at home, number of eggs

Guinea fowl is a small bird, but it has a high percentage of meat yield in the carcass. Eggs are tasty and have nutritional differences from chicken and quail eggs. In order to obtain food and hatching eggs, you need to know how and in what quantities guinea fowl lay eggs at home, what is natural in their behavior, and what is a sign of illness or errors in feeding and care.

At what age do guinea fowls begin to lay eggs?

Southern bird, brought from Africa. In nature, the female begins to lay eggs at 8 months of age.Poultry may have man-made advantages:

• trouble-free nutrition;
• absence of dangers;
• veterinary services;
• existence without stress.

Depending on the owner, there may not be a better life, but there will be additional difficulties. The experience of the best husbandry shows that a guinea fowl lays an egg for the first time already at 6 months.

How many eggs does it produce per year?

There is no definite answer, as it depends on a group of factors. The most followed ones:

• food quality;
• content temperature;
• length of daylight hours;
• at what age did the bird begin to lay eggs?

The guinea fowl belongs to the order Galliformes. She rushes without the participation of the male. The process of formation of an egg from an egg takes 16 hours for a guinea fowl. The formation of a new egg begins no earlier than the previous one comes out and ends up in the nest. It takes a lot of protein, fat, and calcium to build an egg. Other elements are used in smaller quantities, but are necessary, especially if the production of laying hens is intended for breeding.

Depending on the region where the poultry farm lives, guinea fowl lay eggs from February to November in the south, and from May to September in places with a more severe climate. Females also have periods of rest and recovery from time to time. Productivity drops sharply with the onset of cold weather and soon equals zero. The result differs significantly by zone, but with good care, an egg production rate of 120-150 pcs is achievable.

It may seem strange, but the earlier a guinea fowl begins to lay eggs, the greater the number of eggs it produces. For the first 1-2 weeks they are small, and then the size increases and stabilizes (45 g). Such eggs are suitable for hatching chicks.Farms that breed guinea fowl usually also keep males, because young animals often have to be produced on their own.

Features of caring for laying hens

Guinea fowl that lay eggs are kept clean. The thick shell protects the embryo from infections, but everything on top must also be extremely careful. The laying hen also needs to be protected from possible infectious diseases and parasites.

In the room where guinea fowl spend the dark, the temperature should not fall below 16 °C in any season. Birds that love movement are allowed to roam in winter, but are returned to the coop at the first sign of freezing. Tightening of the paws and decreased mobility are such signs. A 1.5 m high chain-link mesh is a suitable fence for an area intended for walking.

A thick layer of sawdust or straw is spread on the floor of the poultry house. The bedding will protect the limbs from freezing and will absorb excess moisture from feces, breath and other causes. It is changed 1-2 times a year, and the rest of the time fresh shavings are added on top. Guinea fowl prefer to make their own nests, making small depressions in the litter or earthen floor.

Perches are placed at different heights so that birds sitting on them do not disturb each other at night. Guinea fowl feel safe in the air and can fall asleep. 1 meter of pole is enough for 5-6 heads.

Preparing to lay eggs

The “qualifying competition” for laying hens is held 1-2 months before the start of the productive period. Females should:

• weigh at least 1.3 kg;
• have a wide and soft belly;
• have no physique defects.

During the laying period, the laying hen requires more protein feed, micro- and macroelements. At home, the following diet is prescribed for guinea fowl:

Gravel should always be near the feed or in the run.

Why do guinea fowl stop laying eggs?

Laying hens show the best results in the first year after puberty. The first 3 months are record-breaking: the guinea fowl produces 2 eggs every 3 days, sometimes 1 in a row for 2 or 3 days. Then there is a break for 15-20 days (can lay 1.5 eggs per week). Then the pace almost returns. In the second year, the number of eggs decreases, but they are considered the most valuable for breeding. In the third year, the birds are already fattened for meat products.

If a guinea fowl has stopped laying eggs not because of age, this means that she lacks proteins. With an acute lack of calcium, the bird lays eggs, but the shell becomes thinner or absent altogether.

The most important reason affecting egg production is the length of daylight hours. In order to achieve high egg production rates, there should be light not 8, but 16 hours a day. This is organized using artificial lighting. The combination of sufficient light and a warm environment will result in guinea fowl laying eggs well into January. If this is not the case, your veterinarian can help.