The complete A to Z of what Guinea fowl can eat.

Two Guinea fowl grazing free range.

Guinea fowl are omnivores and will eat almost anything.

Domestic Guinea fowl are fed mostly on dry pelleted feed bought from the feed store. The natural diet of Wild Guinea fowl is a varied mix of vegetation and plants as well as any insects, worms, small mammals, snails, frogs and seeds the birds can find.

If you have found yourself wondering what you can safely feed your Guinea fowl then look no further.

UK and EU poultry keepers are not allowed to feed certain foods by law.

Guinea fowl will eat just about everything they can fit in their beaks, that doesn't mean it is good for them though.

Always make sure that whatever you choose to feed to your Guinea fowl is small enough. Guinea fowl swallow their feed whole and big lumps could get stuck.

Below: Some of my Guinea fowl eating treats.

Don't forget you can grow foods yourself to help with the cost of feeding your flock.

What do Guinea fowl like to eat the most?

My Guinea fowl like fresh cooked green peas or scrambled eggs the most. When it comes to foods the find while free ranging it is probably  insects and worms. 

I give them frozen sweetcorn kernels in the summer heat and they really love them.

Below: A guinea hen free ranging with her keets.

You can do a test with your Guinea fowl, squash a snail under your foot so as they hear the shell break and see how long it is before they are all stood around you like vultures.

What  foods can Guinea fowl eat? Or not eat!

Acorns: Acorns are toxic to Guinea fowl and must never be fed to poultry. Tannin or tannic acid is the compound that can cause damage to the digestive system and kidneys and neither the acorns and the oak leaves should be fed. Young leaves and freshly fallen acorns have the most tannin and are therefore the most toxic to Guinea fowl.