Guinea fowl's first moments of life emerging from egg

Guinea Fowl are adorable little birds that originate from Africa. This newborn chick is breaking out of its egg in an incubator. From the first few moments, they are fascinated by anything that moves. Some of the chick's brothers and sisters have already hatched and watching this one emerge. He takes a few minutes to get his balance as he rolls clumsily on the floor of the incubator. The older chicks seen here have only been out of their eggs for an hour when their brother hatches, but they are dry and mobile, already exploring their surroundings.

Guinea fowl grow to be beautiful, speckled birds about the same size as a farmyard chicken. They are vigilant watch dogs and will sound an alarm if predators approach. They are a welcome addition to farms as they are voracious eaters of pest insects. They are known for their ability to exterminate ticks, a serious problem on any farm.

In addition to being useful and decorative, Guinea Fowl are famous for being delicious to eat.

These chicks are fortunate enough to be members of Jim's farm in Peterborough. They will be treated more like pets than farm creatures.