Nesting

[712msantana]

Hello,
We have a flock of 10 Guinea fowl. This is the first season with 3 females that are nesting. Prior to this our older female set up 2 nests through out last year. She nested early spring and late summer last year. So far this year our 3 females have laid 4 nests. 2 of the 4 have already hatched and the others are still a couple of weeks from hatching. We've had a total of 35 chicks so far this spring. It appears as though the females are nesting together. This last nest is pretty close to the house and we've seen all 3 females sitting on the nest. Has anyone ever seen Guinea females share nests??? This is a new one for me. It seems that since they're sharing nests we are getting more chicks than we were expecting. And it seems like the females are continuously laying eggs. We're just curious about the reason these females are nesting together. And they're doing it without any problems, the females are all getting along beautifully. Thanks

 

[bbgranch]

Guineas lay in a common nest. When there are lots of eggs one of them will decide to brood. They are not very good mothers.

 

[ludwing]

it is, common for guineafowls to share a nest. they love sharing nests to produce large clutches of eggs. the only reason I think that cause them to share a nest is their parenting. most people believe that guineas are not at all goodparents, the reason for guineas to be bad parents is that they came from a continent of high predation (Africa) where a parent is indanger. most of their keets will die on the march while their parents are always in hurry.
They must share a nest , so as to have so many lookout for the keets, or the entire flock of guineas may raise the single brood of other pair.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I have five guineas - two males and three females. My lavender male has a lavender female and a pearl female, and they share a nest. My purple male claimed the white female, and she has her own nest. So, it seems mine have divided up according to who the father of the potential keets is.

Actually, I should make all of that be past tense because I went out about an hour ago to get the white hen's egg and there were feathers everywhere. So now I am down to four guineas. I am glad I had found her nest (I only found it about a week ago) so I've got some of her eggs to hatch. I really wish I could get them to lay in the coop or run but I can't keep them locked up that late (they don't finish until around 1 pm or sometimes later) or they will harass my chickens to death. It's frustrating!

I am curious to see if the purple male will claim one of the remaining hens...Maybe not as the lavender male is very dominant and aggressive.

 

[redguinea]

I have five guineas - two males and three females. My lavender male has a lavender female and a pearl female, and they share a nest. My purple male claimed the white female, and she has her own nest. So, it seems mine have divided up according to who the father of the potential keets is. 

Actually, I should make all of that be past tense because I went out about an hour ago to get the white hen's egg and there were feathers everywhere. So now I am down to four guineas. I am glad I had found her nest (I only found it about a week ago) so I've got some of her eggs to hatch. I really wish I could get them to lay in the coop or run but I can't keep them locked up that late (they don't finish until around 1 pm or sometimes later) or they will harass my chickens to death. It's frustrating!

I am curious to see if the purple male will claim one of the remaining hens...Maybe not as the lavender male is very dominant and aggressive. 

Sorry about your female being taken. What types predators do you have in your area? Good thing you found her nest, you'll get some pearl pied keets. Your less dominant make wont take a female already paired to the other male, he's more likey to pick a female from the keets when they are old enough. Ive never had mine lay in a coop given the choice of free ranging, so I covered a pen to put my cinnamon, silver, pearl pied and lavender pied in. Ive put several type of nesting in there for them, I'll see what they use in spring.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

My main problem is foxes, though I have had some hawk issues in the past. This was definitely a fox, and I'm upset I didn't catch on to what was happening so I could intervene. I know this stuff happens, especially with free ranging and laying, but I still feel like I let her down.
The lavender hen decided this afternoon she's ready to go broody. I had to battle with her and steal her eggs to get her to go back to the coop so I could lock them up. The purple male is glued to her side now. Strange. Apparently he tried his best to protect the other hen as I found a huge pile of his feathers, too. He was visibly shaking, and I thought maybe he was chilly because it's drizzling, then I found the feathers and realized he was either mad or scared or a little of both.
Anyway, tomorrow I'll have to figure out my game plan. I have an outdoor brooder area that consists of a 2x4 coop and 4x4 run area all under my main coop. I was going to move my turkey poults and keets out there this week but I might need to lock up the guinea hen and her nest instead.
Sorry to thread jack. I'm just rambling as I mull over this new turn off events. I have keets due to hatch on the 13th so I might get her to sit on these eggs (they are old and likely no good) and then give her some keets.

 

[redguinea]

Well you know now and can help in the future.
Once they bond they are inseparable, he knows the other female is gone so he wont leave the other girl alone.

Ive tried to move hens nests in the past and failed. So then I tried putting a run over the top of a hen and the bush she was nesting in but she refused to sit on the eggs so I had to let her out.

Swapping in keets usually works, do the switch at night.
Good luck!

 

[Oneofakindcritter]

Do you put water and feed out near the nest ? I have a female under my hosta tight against the house on South side... I haven't seen her leave at all and I'm wondering if I should try getting her water or is she fine... I would hate to scare her off the nest..

 

[R2elk]

Do you put water and feed out near the nest ? I have a female under my hosta tight against the house on South side... I haven't seen her leave at all and I'm wondering if I should try getting her water or is she fine... I would hate to scare her off the nest..

Putting feed near the nest is a sure fire way to draw rodents or other predators to the nest.

 

[Oneofakindcritter]

Putting feed near the nest is a sure fire way to draw rodents or other predators to the nest.

That was a though.. Thanks for the confirmation on it...