Found the guinea nest...but how old are the eggs?

[LBrown8]

This is my second time to try and hatch guinea eggs. The first time was very unsuccessful for lots of reasons that I am aware of now due to a ton of research!

So I found another nest, we are surrounded in farmland and I had a hard time locating her nest, but we finally did. We found 50+ eggs, she has been going in that general area for a little over a week, so I am concerned how long these eggs have been there. She was sitting on them when I found her but I worry about the coyotes getting her at night.

I took 40 eggs off of the top of the nest, is this the right thing to do? Is there a way to tell how far along they are? Should I just start from day 1 in the incubator?

 

[red horse ranch]

This is my second time to try and hatch guinea eggs. The first time was very unsuccessful for lots of reasons that I am aware of now due to a ton of research!

So I found another nest, we are surrounded in farmland and I had a hard time locating her nest, but we finally did. We found 50+ eggs, she has been going in that general area for a little over a week, so I am concerned how long these eggs have been there. She was sitting on them when I found her but I worry about the coyotes getting her at night.

I took 40 eggs off of the top of the nest, is this the right thing to do? Is there a way to tell how far along they are? Should I just start from day 1 in the incubator?

If she has been coming back in at night then she probably isn't brooding but just laying an egg. Is she your only female? It would take a long time for one hen to lay that many but several of my hens use the same nest.
If you have other hens, divide the 50 eggs by the number of hens that may be using that nest. That would give you an idea how old the eggs might be.

If she has been brooding them You'll just have to take your chances by putting them in the incubator. Candle them every few days to see if you can figure out their stage of development.

 

[LBrown8]

I have 9 guineas and am pretty sure 7 are hens. I know they have another nest somewhere out in the hay but I haven't found that one yet. I candled them before I put them in the bator, and could see very tiny embryo in most of them, so maybe they are a few days old? I will candle again at day 5, 14 and right before lockdown. Wish me luck, I am really hoping this time we have more sucess!! Maybe I should do lockdown a few days early??

 

[red horse ranch]

I have 9 guineas and am pretty sure 7 are hens. I know they have another nest somewhere out in the hay but I haven't found that one yet. I candled them before I put them in the bator, and could see very tiny embryo in most of them, so maybe they are a few days old? I will candle again at day 5, 14 and right before lockdown. Wish me luck, I am really hoping this time we have more sucess!! Maybe I should do lockdown a few days early??

I think it wouldn't hurt. It's my opinion only, but I think turning isn't that important in the last week for guineas.

If there are even 4 or 5 hens using that nest the eggs may be less than 2 weeks old.