Microlivestock Little-Known Small Animals with a Promising Economic Future (1991) / Chapter Skim
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8 Guinea Fowl
8 Guinea Fowl
Pages 115-124
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From page 115... ...
Strains newly created for egg and meat production in Europe-notably in France-show excellent characteristics for industrial-scale production. Also, many semidomestic types in Africa deserve increased scientific assessment as scavenger birds.
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From page 116... ...
Pearl is the most common, and is probably the type first developed from the wild West African birds. Its handsome feathers are often used for ornamental purposes.
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From page 117... ...
DISTRIBUTION Europe dominates industrial production. France, Italy, the Soviet Union, and Hungary all raise millions of guinea fowl under intensive conditions, just as they raise chickens.
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From page 118... ...
Normally, they lay their first egg at about 18 weeks of age. Unlike many wild birds, which produce a single clutch a year, guinea hens lay continuously until adverse weather sets in.2 Free-range "domestic" guinea hens lay up to 60 eggs a season.
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From page 119... ...
It gives the best egg production and fertility but requires housing, equipment, and skilled labor. These birds can also be kept in a semidomestic state in and around the farmyard.
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From page 120... ...
Coincidentally, guinea fowl and turkeys were both introduced to England between 1530 and 1550, and the English, smitten with the original French misnomers, were left sorting out "Ginny birds" and "Turkey birds" for the remainder of the century. Both birds were adopted with great enthusiasm, and within 150 years they had utterly displaced the peafowl and swan as the major table birds for festive occasions.
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From page 121... ...
(The major reason is that guinea fowl produce fewer hatching eggs and require a longer feeding period.) Guinea fowl are also more expensive to feed.
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From page 122... ...
It has sooty black plumage, a naked head, and a pink or yellow neck. It is seldom hunted because the meat tastes dreadful, but this is probably because of a particularly pungent fungus they eat in the forest.
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From page 123... ...
Husbandry research should also be directed towards feeds and feeding systems for growing and breeding stock. Other efforts are needed to increase the hatchability of eggs under natural conditions (under guinea hens or surrogate mothers)
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From page 124... ...
^ Ha in <~ -A ^~ ~(~/~ ~`~` i'/ ~ ~/.` a.
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