IMPORTANT ORDERING INFORMATION: Vulturine Guinea Fowl are shipped on Wednesdays, USPS Priority Mail Express, and will typically arrive in 1-2 days at your local post office. Vulturine Guineas are not available for pickup. Wings can be clipped upon request. Vulturine Guinea Fowl ship for free.
The Vulturine Guinea Fowl are quite common in the wild, originating in Eastern Africa. They are commonly known as “royal guineafowl” due to their beautiful colored feathers, and larger size. Males and females have the same striking feathers. The heads and necks are bare skinned with blue to gray skin coloring, and the legs and feet are dark gray. They become very tame in captivity situations which make them a highly sought-after breed.
Vulturine Guinea Fowl are a heat hardy breed. However, they will need special accommodations if temperatures go below freezing as they can easily suffer from frostbite. During the winter months, a warmed shelter is a must. Put in lots of straw or other bedding so they have something warm to bed in as well. Additionally, they do very well in larger aviary settings with small trees and bushes as they enjoy higher roosting areas.
Vulturine Guinea Fowl consume a diet primarily of plants and greens, leaves, fruits, berries, bulbs, as well as larger insects such as spiders and scorpions. Generally, they will forage on the ground. In captivity, you will want to allow as much natural foraging as possible as well as a commercial game bird diet.
Vulturine Guinea Fowl will begin breeding their second summer, during the months of June to December. They will nest on the ground and will lay clutches of 4 to 13 creamy white to pale brown colored eggs, and both parents will defend the chicks for the first several months. Males can become aggressive during the breeding seasons, so a large aviary setting is best. The chicks are able to fly with the first 20 days after hatching but prefer to run on the ground if threatened. They are typically gregarious and will sometimes associate with other species of mammals and birds.
Adult birds reach a total body length of 20 to 24 inches. They have a lifespan of approximately 15 years. Their calls can reach over a long distance when excited, and they typically live in flocks of 20 to 30 birds outside the breeding season.