Broody Hen Advice

[sunnie7]

I found one of my 3 missing guineas on the nest that’s between our house and their nighttime pen. I believe she’s been sitting for maybe 4 or 5 days now. I had been taking the eggs from the nest for awhile now and have 14 in lock down in an incubator due to hatch tomorrow and 12 more on day 3. I stopped taking eggs maybe 2 weeks ago but I think only 1 or 2 of my hens were laying in this nest and I possibly have another broody hen somewhere I can’t find. Every time I’ve checked the nest she’s been on it. I’m a bit worried because I think I messed up! I didn’t have any fake eggs so I replaced the guineas eggs with old(ish) bantam chicken eggs....soooo the nest has some ~3-4 week old chicken eggs plus whatever new Guinea eggs. Should I boot her off and take the eggs and incubate or just let her be?

 

[R2elk]

I found one of my 3 missing guineas on the nest that’s between our house and their nighttime pen. I believe she’s been sitting for maybe 4 or 5 days now. I had been taking the eggs from the nest for awhile now and have 14 in lock down in an incubator due to hatch tomorrow and 12 more on day 3. I stopped taking eggs maybe 2 weeks ago but I think only 1 or 2 of my hens were laying in this nest and I possibly have another broody hen somewhere I can’t find. Every time I’ve checked the nest she’s been on it. I’m a bit worried because I think I messed up! I didn’t have any fake eggs so I replaced the guineas eggs with old(ish) bantam chicken eggs....soooo the nest has some ~3-4 week old chicken eggs plus whatever new Guinea eggs. Should I boot her off and take the eggs and incubate or just let her be?

If the bantam eggs are fertile, she will abandon the guinea eggs after the bantam eggs hatch.

I don't let my guinea hens sit on hidden nests at night. For the safety of your hen, I would take the eggs and incubate them.

 

[sunnie7]

If the bantam eggs are fertile, she will abandon the guinea eggs after the bantam eggs hatch.

I don't let my guinea hens sit on hidden nests at night. For the safety of your hen, I would take the eggs and incubate them.

If I take all the eggs will she just go back with the flock? Or are broody guineas like chickens and hard to break?

 

[R2elk]

If I take all the eggs will she just go back with the flock? Or are broody guineas like chickens and hard to break?

My experience is that guinea hens will abandon their nests at the first sign of anything messing with the nest. I was gathering eggs from the same nest for nearly 3 weeks when a gopher found it and started eating eggs. The nest was abandoned the next day.

The problem is that she will start laying again in what will likely be a harder to find nest.