Guinea fowl are farmed for meat and used for pest control but have specific welfare needs rarely met in commercial settings.
Guinea fowl welfare in commercial farming presents particular challenges because these birds retain much of their wild behaviour. Flight responses to handling cause extreme stress. Commercial confinement is incompatible with their natural tendency to range widely. Guinea fowl used for free-range pest control on farms have significantly better welfare — able to range, form natural flocks, and express natural behaviours — than those in conventional commercial systems. Their welfare needs are poorly served by applying standard poultry welfare frameworks.