Guinea fowl nests are one of the possible options for keeping this bird. They are organized in accordance with certain requirements, from the compliance of which the guinea fowl egg production largely depends. It is important to properly organize not only the nests for the bird, but also its content in them. Certain requirements apply to the house.
Slot Requirements
Guinea fowls are wary of nests, preferring to rush in their own chosen nook. This complicates the work of the poultry breeder, especially when assembling eggs.
In order for the bird to rush in the nest, its compliance with the following requirements is necessary:
- right place - quite secluded and dark, guinea fowl like to retire not only from people, but also from their own kindred;
- reliable protection - the presence of walls on all sides, shelter from above;
- lack of noise near the nest - otherwise, the bird will be frightened, which will negatively affect its egg production;
- draft protectionbut at the same time good ventilation;
- open space: minimum length - 40 cm, width and height - 30 cm each;
- lack of overpopulation - in one nest there should be no more than 6-8 guinea fowl;
- high-quality litter - it should be warm, dry and soft, straw and hay can be used;
- regular eard - cleaning, disinfection, drying;
- ensuring optimal temperature conditions and humidity indoors.
It is better to organize the nests into several individuals, since they begin to rush at the same time. The main condition is not to scare away the bird. Otherwise, it may irrevocably leave the nest.
DIY guinea fowl nests
It’s easy to make nests for guinea fowls on your own. To do this, stock up on certain materials and tools:
- a wooden box of suitable size;
- sheet plywood;
- hacksaw;
- self-tapping screws;
- screwdriver or drill;
- Ruler and pencil.
The wooden box for the nest must be thoroughly washed, disinfected and dried. If there is no suitable box, then you can independently make a wooden frame using racks of a suitable size.
Further actions should be carried out according to the following algorithm:
- The walls of the drawer or wooden frame sheathed with sheet plywood.
- Run a round hole in one wall. It should be designed for one bird. The size of the hole is individual and depends on the breed of guinea fowl, their growth. The average option is 17x17 cm.
- Run the ceiling. For its manufacture, also use sheet plywood.
- Arrange bedding at the bottom of the nest.
For the convenience of caring for the nest, a removable or opening top should be made. To do this, you can use hinges or nail two slats with recesses so that the door moves to the side.
Additionally, an egg collector can be arranged in the nest. In this case, the floor of the structure should be inclined - a slope of 5-7 cm is enough. In the wall where the slope is organized, you need to make a gap in which the egg will slide. The egg collector can be a wooden tray or a gutter; you can also use a fine mesh wire for its manufacture.
Guinea fowl nesting rules, house requirements
When nesting guinea fowl, it is important to follow certain rules. The socket must meet the requirements for it. It is important to monitor its cleanliness, change the litter daily.
The general rules and requirements for the house are as follows:
- The house should be large enough. Each individual should have at least 1 sq. Km. m
- Heating in the house is optional, as guinea fowl are hardy. But it is still desirable to organize it in order to achieve high egg production. For adults, a temperature of 17-20 degrees is enough. If the winters in the region are frosty, you can arrange a warm floor or use a stove to heat the room. It is very important for small chickens, the optimum temperature for them is 32-34 degrees, so they prefer to use incubators to keep them.
- Litter should be arranged in the house. You can use straw, sawdust, peat. A layer of 10-20 cm is enough.
- Equip feeders and drinking bowls. Feeders arrange close to the wall. They should be equipped with wooden sides - protection against spreading of feed. Feeding troughs and drinking bowls should be installed not only in the house, but also on the paddock.
- Keep clean the feeders and drinkers. They need to be cleaned and washed every day.
- Provide clean water. You need to change it regularly. For preventive purposes, it is recommended to give a solution of potassium permanganate. It should be weak, slightly pinkish. Use only freshly prepared solution, give it every 3-4 days.
- One of the most important conditions for guinea fowl is daylight hours. It should be at least 8 hours. If necessary, use artificial lighting. Light sources should not be installed near bird nests and resting places. The best place is over feeders, drinking bowls. To accelerate puberty of guinea fowl, they need to increase the daylight hours to 16 hours using artificial lighting.
- Provide good ventilation, but there should be no drafts in the house.
- Organize perches in the house. The optimum height is 0.6-0.7 m.
- Guinea fowls need a bath of sand. Birds in it bathe to clean feathers from dirt. The bath does not need to be installed on an ongoing basis, it is enough to place it in the house once a week.
- Collect eggs correctly. This should be done at the end of the day, it is better to choose a dark time of day. It is better to collect eggs so that the bird does not see it. At night, do not leave eggs in the nest, otherwise the instinct of incubation may occur.
When nesting, all eggs should not be taken from a guinea fowl. Otherwise, there is a risk that the bird will no longer rush in the nest, since it will consider it to be ravaged.
Vital activities of guinea fowls should not be limited to one house. The bird is freedom-loving, so she needs a walk on the street. This area should be fenced. The height of the fence is at least 2 m. A weather canopy should be equipped. Feeders and drinking bowls are installed underneath.
Guinea fowl walks can be provided throughout the year. Even snow is not an obstacle to this. Guinea fowl is not only frost-resistant, but also tolerates heat, feeling great even at 40 degrees. Unlimited walking allows you to significantly reduce feed consumption, as the diet of the bird includes grass, insects, worms, slugs, frogs.
Guinea fowl need to be kept after dinner, when the eggs are laid. If this condition is not met, then the bird will lay eggs on the ground, in the grass, in various secluded corners. This will significantly complicate the work of the poultry farmer and lead to the loss of part of the production.
Guinea fowl nests are easy to make with your own hands. This will require a minimum of materials, tools and time. Nesting content implies compliance with certain rules, which also apply to the organization and care of the house.