Guinea Fowl hens will normally start laying in spring, March/April, but this may not start until May if the weather is cooler.
Guinea fowls do not have as large an annual egg production as chickens. In the wild, they would lay perhaps two clutches per year of between 20 and 30 eggs in total. Guinea fowls that are domesticated lay within a season that generally begins around March and ends in September/October.
When hens are in season, they can potentially lay one egg per day. It is not uncommon for a guinea fowl hen to have an annual yield of 180 eggs.
Guinea Fowl Egg Size
Guinea fowl eggs have a thicker shell than chicken eggs. The advantage of this is that they tolerate much rougher handling.
Guinea fowl eggs are smaller than chicken eggs and have an average weight of 50 grams (about 1.8 ounces). Chicken eggs in comparison have an average weight of about 62 grams (about 2.2 ounces).
A turkey egg would weigh approximately 3 ounces (85 grams). Pheasants have a relatively small egg that weighs about 30 grams (about 1.1 ounces).
Of all the domestic poultry, geese probably have the largest comparable size, around 200 grams (about 7.1 ounces), not uncommon.
When the young guinea fowl hen first begins to lay, you may notice that the eggs are a little smaller and lighter at first. If you were to weigh the first few batches, they might weigh approximately 28 grams. By the end of their breeding/egg-laying season, they should have risen to around 38g to 40g.
Color And Shape
Since the guinea fowl is essentially a wild bird that has been domesticated, it is perhaps not surprising that the egg in shape and color resembles the egg of a game bird. Colors may vary, but it is generally assumed to be a shade of brown with occasional speckles.
Egg Construction
The shell itself is largely made up of what is known as a palisade. It is said to make up two-thirds of the shell. The soft inner part is known as the mammillary.
Bloom
The condition or health of the egg can be seen by appearance. If the egg is healthy, it should have a shine to it, and this comes from a thin outer layer known as the cuticle.
Egg strength
As we know, the guinea fowl egg has a relatively thick shell compared to the domestic chicken egg. The eggs have been tested for breaking strength with the following results.
- An average chicken egg of approximately 60 grams (2.1 ounces) has a breaking strength of approximately 4.1 kg (approximately 9 pounds). On the other hand, a guinea fowl egg weighing approximately 40 grams (1.4 ounces) has a breaking strength of about 5 kg (approximately 11 pounds).
Nutritional Value
Guinea fowl eggs are rich in protein and other nutrients.
- Protein: Whole guinea fowl egg contains 10% to 13.5% of protein.
- Fat: Yolk contains 32% to 32.5% fat. Egg white contains no fat.
- Omega-3: Guinea eggs are presumed to provide significant amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids, similar to chicken eggs.
- Vitamin B: Guinea fowl eggs contain essential B vitamins such as vitamin B9 and vitamin B12, thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), and pyridoxine (B6).
- Vitamin A: Guinea fowl egg yolks are rich in provitamin A antioxidants like lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene.
- Rich in Choline: Guinea fowl eggs are rich sources of choline in the diet, a nutrient similar to vitamin B known for its benefits for the brain and nervous system.
- Minerals: Minerals that are present in guinea fowl eggs: sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper and iron, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, magnesium and B vitamins, zinc, copper and vitamin A, vitamin D, phosphorus, and traces vitamins E and K.
Is it safe to eat fertilized eggs?
If you intend to eat guinea fowl eggs, you don’t have to worry about whether you are eating fertilized eggs or not. When chickens or guinea fowl are raised with their male counterpart, the male will automatically mate with the female. However, not all eggs will necessarily be fertilized, which depends on several factors.
Eggs that are fertilized and left with a broody hen, which begins to hatch, are likely to develop and eventually hatch. That is why you need to collect eggs every day and store them at a low temperature, preferably refrigerated.
Fertilized eggs have the potential to develop into embryos, but only if they are heated to an optimal temperature. Unheated eggs will remain dormant and perfectly ready to eat.
Where Do Guinea Fowl Lay Eggs?
Guinea fowl are not like chickens when it comes to building nests and laying eggs. If you build proper nest boxes, the chickens will find them and happily lay their eggs. On the other hand, guinea fowls are known to lay their eggs in a purpose-built nest box.
However, due to instinctively wild tendencies, most of the time they seek to lay their eggs in secluded places. If the birds run freely, they will lay eggs under bushes or tall grass. If they are contained in a run, they will lay eggs in similar hidden places given the opportunity.
Nestboxes
Guinea fowls naturally seek to lay their eggs on the ground in a simple hollow lined with leaves. However, you can also place some nest boxes on top, up to 4 feet high (about 1.2 meters), in case of guineas prefer them.
Unlike domestic chickens, where nest boxes are generally located about 2 feet (0.6 m) above the floor, guinea fowl boxes can be located at floor level or slightly elevated. It is possible to train guinea fowl to lay on the nest boxes who would otherwise on the ground.
As soon as you notice a hen in what looks like a ground nest, you can gently lift it up and place it in a nest box. The hen should soon get the idea and start getting into the nest box oneself.
Depending on how many guinea fowls you have, you should always place the nest boxes next to each other.
Where to locate the nest boxes
You should be aware that if you have multiple guinea fowls, they will always prefer to nest together. They are social and gregarious birds and egg-laying is no different.
Therefore, you need to literally place nest boxes next to each other. It would also be wise to place them in an area as dark as possible. You could even enclose the nest boxes in some way.
Once the nest boxes are in place, you can place a barrier around the boxes and leave a space of approximately 12 inches on the front and sides for the birds to walk around.
You can then put a hinged lid over the top so you can open and remove the eggs. The barrier would need an entrance of approximately 8 “x 10” (approximately 20 cm x 25 cm) for the guinea hens to enter. This would make the interior relatively dark and isolated.
Nests and cleaning
Any hen that you have, that lays eggs for the purpose of hatching, should be given nesting areas that are as clean as possible.
It is better not to have to clean the dried feces from the eggs. Therefore, any straws or other bedding should always be as clean as possible.
This does not mean that you have to give them clean bedding every day. But if you notice damp or dirty bedding, particularly likely nesting areas, changing the bedding is recommended.
Outside nest covers
If guinea fowls nest in the ground outside, you must provide adequate ground cover. Use something similar to the teepee/A frames, outside as nesting areas for the hens to lay eggs. You may also find that they prefer to lay outside and not even bother with the nest boxes inside the coop.
Collecting Eggs From The Nest
Whether guinea fowl eggs are intended for hatching or consumption, it is recommended to collect them on a daily basis.
If the eggs are for consumption, you don’t need to do more than collect them and refrigerate or store them in a cool place.
If you buy eggs from the grocery store, you may also want to keep the egg cartons for future use. In the absence of all that, a suitable container will suffice, which you may want to line with sawdust or some cloth material.
The ideal storage temperature for eggs is said to be about 12.8 ° C to 15.6 ° C (55 ° F to 60 ° F).
When is the best time to collect guinea fowl eggs?
Guinea fowls tend to lay eggs around noon. So if you collect the eggs daily, do it in the middle of the afternoon, in the evening, or first thing in the morning the next day.
Collecting eggs and leaving pot/dummy eggs
You may hear that leaving a pot egg is desirable when collecting eggs from a nest. This is a good idea while the hen is laying and to not disturb her so she leaves the nest. But eventually, the hen will grow broody, as she thinks she has a clutch of eggs that need to be hatched.
There probably isn’t much you can do about it, as the important thing is to encourage her to continue laying. Once she becomes broody, it is best to remove anything from the nest. She will probably leave the nest and continue to lay once she is no longer broody.