Guinea fowl, or the royal bird, once popular in Rome, are increasingly found in petting zoos and private farms. A novice poultry farmer may wonder which breed to choose to achieve the desired results. Zagorsk, Volga, Speckled, French, and many, many others can make your head spin. This problem is easily solved by looking at our photo collection.
Grey-speckled guinea fowl
This bird is widely distributed due to its beautiful coloring, ease of maintenance, and moderate productivity. Their meat is dark red, which can sometimes intimidate novice poultry farmers. Guinea fowl of this breed are very vocal, and despite centuries of domestication, they have retained their wild habits.
Zagorsk white-breasted
An equally common and beautiful bird. They have a friendly and quiet nature. Experts say that the whiter the breast, the more productive the guinea fowl. This domestically bred breed was developed from a population of gray-speckled guinea fowl crossed with Leghorn chickens. It has excellent productivity.
Volga White
This bird is well adapted to Russian winters and can easily withstand Siberian frosts. Its plumage is always light gray with white pearls scattered across its body. It produces good meat, but its egg production is low.
Blue guinea fowl
Blue guinea fowl have very beautiful plumage. Their pastel blue hue makes their feathers popular for crafts and amulets. Unfortunately, this breed is not known for its high productivity.
French broiler - GRIMAUD, ESSOR cross
These guinea fowl have achieved record-breaking growth rates through selective breeding. Their meat is more tender than that of purebred birds, and is lighter in color despite their gray-speckled plumage. To raise these birds, you must purchase hatching eggs, as broiler guinea fowl are very reluctant to breed under normal conditions.
Cream guinea fowl
Farmers keep this bird for its high-quality, nutritious eggs. This guinea fowl is excellent for hatching guinea fowl. Unlike other breeds, where separating the offspring by sex is impossible without specialized skills, cream guinea fowl have males with a brown cap, while females have a uniform beige color.
Vulture guinea fowl
These are very unusual members of the guinea fowl family. Due to their high cost, these extremely rare birds are only available to zoos and large estates.
Crested guinea fowl
The guinea fowl is very distinctive and memorable in appearance. Its head is adorned with a distinctive crest. In Russia, it is bred only in private breeding farms. This bird requires special care, a varied diet, and ample space.
African guinea fowl
A wild relative of the guinea fowl, the origin of other breeds. This bird lives in southern Africa and on the island of Madagascar. The head of adult guinea fowl is adorned with a large bony crest.
Regardless of breed, guinea fowl are sure to delight their owners with excellent health, a lively nature, and delicious produce.
