communal nests?

[MuranoFarms]

Will more then 1 guinea use the same nest? This wasn't an issue last year since I only had 1 laying, but this year there are 2. I found 1 nest in the woods. Will each guinea make their own, or will they use the same one?

Or in other words......do I have to go looking for nests again?

 

[racuda]

My 2 are using the same nest. There were 20 eggs in it and I took 10 for a Cochin to hatch and I'm leaving the Guineas the rest.

 

[MuranoFarms]

I wonder if I keep them in the coop/run for a few days, they will have to lay there. Will they keep laying there after I let them back out to free range? I really don't like the 'find the nest' game! lol

 

[racuda]

That sounds like a good plan, especially if they have a nice, secretive place to lay.

 

[MuranoFarms]

Polly laid an egg in the coop today so I let them out to free range after wards. I don't know if Baby is laying yet, this will be her first season. She was hatched June last year, so I know she'll lay this year....just not sure when she'll start. I think I'll do the same thing the next few days...not let them out till after she lays....and then hopefully they'll get the idea!

Of course she laid the egg right where the silkies sleep in front of a mirror. She ignored the board against the wall, in the corner with the golfball under it! lol I don't think she goes for privacy. The nest I found in the woods was about 2 feet behind a bush in a big clearing! Silly bird.

 

[poultryfan73]

Awwww that makes me happy hopefully mine start laying soon also! How did you find the nest?

 

[MuranoFarms]

Quote:
I followed them! I walked through the woods to see where they were hanging out and only saw the male. He started yelling at me every time I got near a brush pile. I sorta circled it peeking inside and finally saw her sitting on the ground on the other side of a bush. I walked away real quick and went back after they were back up by the house.

 

[zazouse]

I stopped collecting eggs from my free range guineas cause my bators and hens were full, now i have 4 sitting together by my deer blind and have found that 5 other so far nesting by themselves, they use to all lay in this area.

My LSG just had surgery so i have had to make rounds at all times of the night and even set up a tent with a light and radio in it, by the big nest area in it to deture any critters to my girl can return to work with her buds.

 

[Waldo]

a few of my guineas layed outside of the proped up boards a time or two when they first layed, but now lay in the nests with the others. Seems they all want to lay behind just two of the plyboard boards. A few eggs are layed behind the others but not many.

 

[MuranoFarms]

Polly laid in the coop 3 days in a row. I let them out to free range every day after she laid the egg. They pretty much stayed around the house the last few days, I guess they didn't have a reason to go in the woods. Today the egg was darker. I let them out after I saw it and they hung out in the yard then suddenly they were gone. I found them down by the big brush pile she laid the other egg in. (screaming their heads off of course! lol)I walked away thinking I'll go back and find a lone egg. The dog came down with me when I went back and she was real interested in a certain part of the brush pile. I move the dead brush aside and find a nest with 11 eggs in it!

I took 5 and left the rest. Its getting close to freezing today and I really hate for them to freeze. I'm guessing the darker egg in the coop must be from Baby. This is her first season, so it goes into the bator to check.

I really hope the dog stays away from the nest now!!!