A Hen to play mom?

[DonnaScott]

My Guinea hens are 6 months old. Would it be a good idea to get a chicken to sit on the eggs when the Guineas ignore their motherly duties? Or is it to late to introduce a new bird to the flock?

 

[R2elk]

My Guinea hens are 6 months old. Would it be a good idea to get a chicken to sit on the eggs when the Guineas ignore their motherly duties? Or is it to late to introduce a new bird to the flock?

I would not add a chicken to a guinea flock. A chicken is no different than a guinea in that it will not go broody until it reaches the proper number of eggs to set off broodiness. Of course there are breeds of chickens that tend to be far more broody than other chicken breeds and require a smaller size clutch of eggs to set off broodiness.

 

[SueT]

Guineas go broody a lot. Yours aren't very old yet. Give them time.

 

[50-45-1]

Dont add a single chicken to your guinea flock.
Purchase a incubator.
Many times i have found abandoned guinea nests in my orchard and finished them off in the incubator.
Better to have one if you are going to be in the poultry bussiness anyway.