Protecting guinea nest or moving guinea nest?

[BlueShadow]

Sometime last week (I wasn't home), one of my guinea hens started to set on a nest. We have lots of nighttime predators, coon, fox, and coyotes, and nearly always our nests get attacked. (Only exception, the nest right by the front door). Sometimes the hens survive, sometimes not. We have tried moving the hen & nest after dark, that didn't work. I know I COULD just put the eggs in the incubator, but I am busy and don't really want to tend an incubator, or brood keets.

Unlike most nests, this is an area that we COULD fence off. I know coons can climb fencing, but they don't usually seem to do that around here (my fence is pretty loose, it would be a wobbly climb, hah!) My worry with fencing off the nest is that the hen can't get on and off the nest easily. I have never had guineas that were smart enough to figure out how to get over a fence to get back IN to the pen. So I would have to put a gate in. Possible, but a nuisance to open and close every day.

Or has anyone had luck actually moving the nest? It hasn't worked for us in the past. (HAH I have never been able to convince a guinea to move nest, roost, feeder, or anything else once they have made up their minds about it!) How did you do it successfully?

Or should I just kick her off the nest, toss out the eggs, and be done with it all? I don't want to lose another hen, and that is what will happen if she stays where she is.

 

[Alaskan]

I would bet the best bet would be to put mom back in your safe coop, put the eggs in the incubator, sell the keets as soon as they hatch.

 

[BlueShadow]

I agree that would be the BEST thing to do, and I may end up doing it yet. For now we put fencing around the nest, and I am arranging to get my incubator back in a few days from the friend who borrowed it. At that point I will see, I may end up putting the eggs in the incubator.

 

[BoogieBug]

I agree that would be the BEST thing to do, and I may end up doing it yet. For now we put fencing around the nest, and I am arranging to get my incubator back in a few days from the friend who borrowed it. At that point I will see, I may end up putting the eggs in the incubator.

Try adding a hot wire around the fencing. It worked for a friend of ours. No Mo Possoms ... or any other predators for that matter, bothering their chickens, rabbits, duck and rooster.