Rules for breeding and keeping guinea fowl at home with chickens

Guinea fowl are becoming an increasingly popular bird for their attractive appearance and tasty meat. They are also characterized by high egg production parameters. However, farmers are afraid to raise these birds because they consider them high maintenance. In fact, it is considered quite real breeding and keeping guinea fowl at home along with the chickens.

Pros and cons of shared content

Guinea fowl belong to the order Galliformes. Therefore, they get along well in the same room with chickens. Moreover, each species of birds has some characteristics. They are worth taking into account.

The advantages of keeping birds together include the following:

1. Same food. If birds are raised to produce high-quality meat, their diet is the same. It is based on cereals, wet mixtures, herbs, and vegetables. This helps farmers save time and effort on feeding birds.
2. Similar conditions of detention. Birds can sit on perches together and use the same nests. In this case, the temperature and humidity parameters are the same. To raise guinea fowl in a chicken coop, full lighting is required.
3. Hatching eggs. This is one of the main advantages of living in one poultry house. Guinea fowls do not have a pronounced maternal instinct. Therefore, farmers often place their eggs under chickens, which helps to achieve excellent results and produce healthy offspring.
4. Good relationships between birds. But sometimes roosters show aggression and create conflict situations. To reduce such risks, it is important to keep birds in the same room from childhood.

To populate a poultry house with different types of birds, experts advise placing several guinea fowl with the chickens and assessing their behavior.

At the same time, keeping birds together has some disadvantages:

1. Guinea fowl's need for freedom. For the comfortable development of these birds, a sufficient amount of space is required. At the same time, chickens can easily live in cages or small poultry houses.
2. Features of reproduction. Chickens are able to breed in a dark room. At the same time, guinea fowls need a free enclosure.
3. Mating risk. Roosters are capable of covering not only chickens, but also guinea fowl. This may cause hybrids to appear. They resemble guinea fowl in appearance, but have the feathers of chickens.

How to organize a room

In order for the birds to live normally together, the following rules should be followed:

1. Remove quarrelsome chickens from the poultry house. If you get rid of the most aggressive representatives, the remaining individuals will behave more peacefully.
2. Set the required number of poles and nests. If there is a lack of them, there is a risk of conflicts between birds.
3. Provide free space for birds. There should be 2-3 guinea fowl per 1 square meter of area.
4. Make an aviary. It should have a large walking area. It is recommended to fence these areas with a net at least 2 meters high, since guinea fowl fly well.
5. Place baths with ash or sand. Birds can swim in such containers. This will protect them from parasites.
6. Provide access to clean water. It is recommended to wash drinking bowls and feeders thoroughly every day.

How to feed birds correctly

In order for the birds to develop normally, it is recommended that they be given cereals, wet mash, and greens. It is also worth introducing fortified supplements and special food into the diet.

Birds usually need to be fed 2-3 times a day. If the birds are free-range, it is enough to give food only in the evening.

You should use wet mash in the morning and afternoon. In the evenings it is better to use cereal mixtures. The following products should be included in the basic diet of birds:

• cereals – oats, barley, corn;
• vegetables - carrots, boiled potatoes, pumpkin, beets;
• greens – plant tops, clover, herbs.

Birds should also be given special supplements. These include yeast, bone meal, and salt. In addition, birds require shells, chalk, and fish oil. When laying eggs begins, it is worth adding additional vitamins and minerals to the diet. It is especially important to use calcium and phosphorus.In winter, instead of greenery, it is worth using pine needles and hay. Root vegetables can also be a source of vitamins.

Walking chickens and guinea fowls

Chickens do not require mandatory walking, while guinea fowls simply do. Birds require sufficient fresh air. Therefore, it is recommended to walk them in any weather.

Guinea fowl tolerate cold well. Therefore, they are allowed to be released outside at temperatures down to -30 degrees. In this case, the walking area must be free and have fences. It is advisable to make a canopy for the birds to protect them from rain and sun.

Keeping chickens and guinea fowl together considered quite real. These birds get along well and have approximately the same diet. In order for the rearing of birds to be successful, they need to be provided with normal living conditions.