Finally found my setting guinea hen.

[melanie]

My guinea hen has a well hidden nest in some brush along a fence. She has been setting for at least 3 weeks, so I know she's getting close. I have no idea how many eggs, as I didn't want to flush her from the nest. Today is the first time I've seen where she went. I had a feeling she was broody. When is the best time to take the hatched keets from her? At night? She's pretty wild. I will start taking her grain every day and water. She's about 30 yards from the barn. I'm surprised guineas are not extinct. Please let me know the best way to get them, as I've heard they are terrible mothers. I have a broody chicken hen. Should I let her hatch them? I hate to disrupt things with her being close to hatching.

 

[subhanalah]

I would give the eggs to your hen and let her raise them. You can leave a few and some dud eggs under the guinea, if it pulls your heart strings too much.

If guineas are as terrible mothers as people make them out to be, she may give up before they hatch?

 

[melanie]

Thank you. When I posted, I had forgotten that I tried hatching guineas under two very good momma hens and it didn't work. The hens were very broody and attached to the eggs, but some of them pipped and dried out. One hen hatched 6, and two were dead in the nest like she accidentally crushed them. The other hen had a dead one under her, and it look crushed. She was devastated when I took it from her. The ones that that survived under the hen are well cared for. So, maybe I won't have such good luck. The only thing I can think of is these hens are big, and keets are so fragile. Wish I had a broody banty. Maybe I should pull them the first day she hatches them at night??? Anyone do that? They are far enough away from the barn that some will not fare well. I'd like more since the grasshoppers are so bad this year.