Guinea fowl: how to distinguish a female from a male. Care of guinea fowl

Many gardeners and villagers on private farmsteads can often see not only chickens, geese and ducks. Some people like to breed and more "exotic" birds. For example, such as guinea fowl. How to distinguish a female from a male in this living creature? This question is actually quite complicated. The fact is that guinea hens of different sex are very similar to each other externally. In this article we will understand with what ways they can be distinguished, and also we will look, how correctly to look after this remarkable bird.

general description

Cesarochka - birds are very unpretentious. They eat the same regime and in the same amount as the chickens. They get sick much less often. Owners of suburban areas, breeding this living creature, believe that this is due to the very good immunity of the bird. However, this applies mainly to guinea fowls with gray plumage. White individuals can be very gentle.

Guinea fowl eggs are small, but in fairly large quantities. Their difference from chicken is the greater content of vitamin A and carotenoids. The meat of guinea fowls is delicious. Fat in it is practically absent. Because of him and eggs, guinea fowls are also popular. How to distinguish a female from a male (see photos of birds on this page), we will consider just below. Now we will understand with their rules of their maintenance.

What you need to know about the conditions of detention

The shed for guinea fowls is the same as for hens. Sand should be poured on the floor (10 cm). Guzzards should be allowed to go out more often. This bird is very active and likes to go far from home. But always comes back. The only difficulty in breeding guinea fowls may be the need to insulate the shed. The fact is that this living creature does not tolerate winter cold very well. Moreover, unlike chickens of many breeds, in winter, guinea fowls do not rush. The period of productivity continues approximately from March to November. You can extend it only by arranging good lighting in the barn.

Guinea fowl is not recommended in aviary with another bird. It's all about the same activity. Males of guinea fowl in this case constantly arrange fights with cocks, pick up geese and ducks. Female can also chase chickens from the roosts. In addition, mating at all in sight - this is not what the guinea fowls used to. How to distinguish "boy" from "girl"? This is a question, which in this case, most likely, will no longer be relevant. Falling and egg-laying of guinea fowls. From constant stress, productivity of other poultry will certainly fall.

What to feed

About 30% of the total food for guinea fowls can be various kinds of greens, roots and vegetables. The feeding regime is set exactly the same as for chickens. That is, in the morning and in the evening they give a grain, and in the daytime - poultry. The latter can be made from grated potatoes, beets, carrots, apples, zucchini, etc. Very like guinea fowl cabbage. Many of their owners even hang over the barn leaves of this plant. Millet is best given millet.

In winter guinea fowls need meat. Also sometimes they are fed and milk with yogurt. You can give and dry powder. However, it must be diluted with water beforehand. Otherwise, the milk will kill the nasal apertures of the bird, why it may even die.

How to know the gender

The owners of suburban areas use several methods for determining the sex of such birds as guinea fowl. How to distinguish a female from a male, we now look. For this you can:

• Listen to the scream of a bird. Male produces sounds similar to those that can be extracted from ratchet. The females scream more slowly.
• Before the egg laying period, males are larger than females. After the onset of puberty - on the contrary.
• The males have more earrings and a comb.
• At 6-7 weeks of age, the sex is determined by the appearance of sexual tubercles.

How to get young

Next, consider the technology of breeding such a bird as guinea fowl. How to distinguish a female from a male, you now know. It is quite difficult to do this, but it is possible. You can have several chickens (up to 10) per cockerel. However, for the best fertilization of the latter there should not be more than two or four.

Unfortunately, guinea fowls are not very good moms. Therefore, eggs are taken from them for incubation. The period of this procedure is 27 days. You can also lay eggs under the chicken (about 17 days) or turkey (up to 25 days). For breeding, young animals are selected with shiny eyes, strong legs and well retracted umbilical cord. Incubator cesareas up to the age of twenty are grown with additional heating by incandescent lamps.

Feeded hatchlings 8 times a day. By the month, this amount is reduced to 6, and to two - to 4. The ration of tsesarit is about the same as that of chickens. However, protein in the feed should be 2-3% more. You can give babies peas, baker's yeast, minced fish, fresh meat waste. Necessarily in the diet included greens. Also need to feed a small amount of chalk and crushed shell. In this way, large healthy guinea fowls can be grown. How to tell a cock from a hen at a young age, you already know. The females will be slightly larger than the males. Starting from the 20th week, the boys will grow quite a large comb and earrings.

On the paddock the young are released from the age of three weeks. First you can arrange tsesaryat walks in the aviary. A little later they are released into the yard.

As you can see, the guinea fowl are quite unpretentious. How to distinguish the female from the male, we have found out. Try to breed this living creature on your site, and you will always have tasty meat and useful "vitamin" eggs.