Poultry Types: Game Birds
Poultry Types: Game Birds
Guinea Fowl
Guinea fowl are typically raised for meat. They can also be kept as guard animals since they are very vocal when anything new enters the farm yard. Guinea fowl have also been used as a natural method for controlling ticks, especially in areas where Lyme disease is a problem.
Vocabulary
- Guinea fowl is both singular and plural. 'Gunea fowl' is the correct name for the species though they are frequently referred to as 'guinea hens', which would be only the females of hte species.
- Guinea hen = adult female guinea fowl
- Guinea pullet = female guinea fowl under one year of age
- Guinea cock = adult male guinea fowl
- Guinea cockerel = male guinea fowl under one year of age
- Keet = young (baby) guinea fowl
Quail
There are a number of different species of quail raised commercially:
- Bobwhite quail - raised primarily for meat production or for release in hunting preserves, especially in southeastern United States
- Coturnix (Japanese) quail - rasied for either meat or egg production depending on the strain used
- Button and Chinese-painted quail - these two small species of quail are sometimes raised for aviaries or as companion birds
Vocabulary
- Quail is both singular and plural
- Hen = adult female quail
- Cock = adult male quail
- chick/Cheeper = young (baby) quail
Pheasant
The term 'pheasant' is technically a term for a group of large species of fowl in the family Phasianidae which includes the partridge, guinea fowl, peafowl, quail and francolins. Typically, however, the term pheasant is used for birds such as the ring-necked pheasant. These pheasants are raised commercially for meat and/or for release in hunting preserves.
Vocabulary
- Pheasant is singular; Pheasants is plural
- Hen = adult female pheasant
- Cock = adult male pheasant
- Pullet = young female pheasant under one year of age
- Cockerel = young male pheasant under one year of age
- Chick/Poult = young (baby) pheasant
Partridge
The most commonly raised partridge include the Hungarian partridge and the chukar redleg partridge (often referred to simply as a chukar). The main purpose for raising partridge (and chukar) is for release in hunting preserves.
Vocabulary
- Partridge is singular; Partridges is plural
- Hen = adult female partridge
- Cock = adult male partridge
- Chick/Cheeper = young (baby) partridge
