Description

The guineafowl are poultry birds originating from Africa. Many poultry farmers in Africa are doing Guinea Fowl farming business successfully, mainly for making profits. The Guinea fowls are also sometimes called as guineas, pintades or gleanies. They were actually wild birds and the modern birds are the domesticated form of the helmeted Guinea Fowl. And they are related to other game birds such as the turkeys, partridges and pheasants. There is evidence that domestic Guinea Fowl were present in Greece by the 5th century BC, although the exact timing of their domestication is unknown.

Features:

The species for which information is known are normally monogamous, mating for life, or are serially monogamous; however, occasional exceptions have been recorded for helmeted and Kenya crested guineafowl, which have been reported to be polygamous in captivity. All guineafowl are social, and typically live in small groups or large flocks. Though they are monogamous, species of the least-derived genera Guttera, Agelastes and  Acryllium tend toward social Polyandry, a trait shared with other primitive galliforms such as the crested partridge and and  Congo peafowl. Guineafowl travel behind herd animals and beneath mpnkey troups, where they forage within manure and on items that have fallen to the understory from the canopy. They play a pivotal role in the control of ticks, flies, locusts, scorpions and other invertebrates . They pluck maggots from carcasses and manure. Wild guineafowl are strong flyers. Their breast muscles are dark (aerobic metabolism), enabling them to sustain themselves in flight for considerable distances if hard-pressed. Grass and bush fires are a constant threat to them and flight is the most effective means of escape. Some species of guineafowl, like the vulturine guineafowl, may go without drinking water for extended periods, instead sourcing their moisture from their food. Young guineafowl (called keets) are very sensitive to weather, in particular cold temperatures.

Behavior and Temperament:

The guinea fowl are very hardy, vigorous and largely disease-free birds. They are increasingly popular among the keepers of small and backyard flocks. Currently they are available not only in Africa, but also found and popular throughout the world. Guineafowl species are found across sub-Saharan Africa, some almost in the entire range, others more localized, such as the plumed guineafowl in west-central Africa and the vulturine guineafowl in north-east Africa. They live in semiopen habitats such as savanna or semideserts, while some, such as the black guineafowl, mainly inhabit forests. Some perch high on treetops. Guinea hens are not known to be good mothers, but in the wild, the guinea hen's mate (a guinea cock) may help tend the young keets during the day by keeping them warm and finding food. Sometimes, more than one cock helps raise the young. Guineafowl (hens and cocks together) make good parents. During warm weather, the cock is unlikely to set on the keets during the night (leaving that duty to the hen), but may help the hen keep them warm at night when temperatures drop below freezing. Different Categories: white-breasted guineafowl, black guineafowl , helmeted guineafowl, plumed guineafowl, crested guineafowl, vulturine guineafowl