Guinea nest question

[Nuzzy]

We're down to 4 guineas from our original 6 keets this spring. A few weeks ago (the guineas were all still roosting every night in the chicken coop) when doing my nightly head count, I only saw 3 and figured another had met it's demise. Well a few days later, I chanced upon a guinea nest after watching our dog waltz into the brush and come out with an egg... Turns out #4 has been spending it's time on the nest

Now I must admit, I'm still not sure our male/female ratio or IF we even have any males... I try to listen to the calls, but I'm not home usually during the days and they quiet down quite a bit in the evenings. I did crack open the egg the dog had and it appeared through my untrained, non expert eye that it did contain the "bullseye" I would associate with a fertilized chicken egg. Now my question is this; would guineas be dumb enough to sit on a nest of unfertilized eggs? (Assuming of course that they know better than I whether a male is amongst them) Or in another way; can I assume the eggs are fertile by the determination of the bird on the nest, or is it possible this guinea could be completely wasting it's time and putting itself in unnecessary danger?

I don't have an incubator, nor will I be buying one any time soon, so an option of moving the eggs to an incubator is not on the table. However, I'm willing to let nature do it's thing if it wants.

Thoughts?

 

[glenolam]

Just as hens go broody, guinea hens do too, so yes - it is possible for them to sit on a clutch of unfertile eggs.

I'd suggest moving her and the eggs AT NIGHT to a more secluded area, like a separate cage or pen where she'd be safe from predators. Reason being, I had 2 guineas that "disappeard" and I never could find them. Then I stumbled on some random eggs on the edge of our field and tufts of lavendar feathers... I can only imagine what happened. Had I found her nest earlier (like I did with one of the other hens) I would have moved her closer to the house or to a private brooder and let nature take it's course the safe way.

Don't try moving or touching her during the day, she'll get all upset. Just move her first, then gather up all the eggs and bedding and gently try to put them back into place. She'll take care of the "fine tuning".

Then, wait. Candle the eggs in a week or so and see what you've got. If you've got blood veins - you've got a male! If not....well, then you don't!

Good luck!

 

[glenolam]

....

duplicate post

 

[Nuzzy]

Thanks! That sounds doable!

 

[racuda]

Not only will they sit on unfertilized eggs, they will also sit on unfertilized golf balls!