Giant guinea and keet problem

[Golden Brahma 64]

today was hatching day for our broody guinea
She had been sitting on her nest for 28 days
Despite her partner being killed by a fox only one week ago, she kept sitting.
9 keets hatched out, everything was going well, but there’s a thunderstorm coming tonight and it’s supposed to last the whole week.
The keets wouldn’t survive with that much rain.
We decided to move her and her 9 keets into the old chicken coop but she wouldn’t take to them again...
When the went near her she pecked them. Next thing she ran out the door back to her nest again so I brought two keets over to her and she took them, then I got the others and while I was trying to slide them back under her she went crazy!
She started attacking the keets again and then she went for my face..

I got some help getting the keets back and their in a cardboard box full of hay with a heat lamp over them.
Luckily all nine are still alive.
The one she attacked has a scratch on its neck but it’s seems fine

Now I have scratches all over my face, 9 poor little abandoned guinea keets and a crazy “beast” up sitting on the old nest with a bucket over her


Any ideas on how I can care,help the keets ?

Any ideas on what I do with the crazy mother ?

 

[Golden Brahma 64]

 

[Golden Brahma 64]

@R2elk

 

[Golden Brahma 64]

@sourland

 

[sourland]

Guinea fowl are strange birds and travel to the beat of their own drum. Frankly I have never been able to figure them out. Some are great parents, but others are not so great. I'd brooder raise the keets if they were mine. Once they are larger and she has become lonely for company she may rejoin them as a flock mate rather than a mother.

 

[Golden Brahma 64]

Guinea fowl are strange birds and travel to the beat of their own drum. Frankly I have never been able to figure them out. Some are great parents, but others are not so great. I'd brooder raise the keets if they were mine. Once they are larger and she has become lonely for company she may rejoin them as a flock mate rather than a mother.

Thanks for the advice

All are doing well.
I’ll see how they are tomorrow.

The crazy mother has been sitting on her nest ever since. (It has no eggs in it)
I won’t be reuniting them until they are old enough to be reintroduced as flockmates as you suggested

 

[50-45-1]

I have had similar problems with guinea mothers. I am sure in her highly aggitated state she was not attacking her babies but the humans hands and arms that were reaching twards her. The babies just got in the way. Then there frantic cries made her more frantic. If she comes to the barn and you can get her in there, and lock her in with her babies for a while she may come to recognize it as home and return willingly.

 

[Golden Brahma 64]

I have had similar problems with guinea mothers. I am sure in her highly aggitated state she was not attacking her babies but the humans hands and arms that were reaching twards her. The babies just got in the way. Then there frantic cries made her more frantic. If she comes to the barn and you can get her in there, and lock her in with her babies for a while she may come to recognize it as home and return willingly.

I don’t think I’ll be risking the lives of the keets anymore.
I agree with what you’re saying as she must of been confused and accidentally attacked the keet.
Before I took the keets away from her I tried to put them in her nest again but she was too crazy.

 

[Golden Brahma 64]

Now that the keets are fine..
Any ideas on what I do with the mother ? She’s still sitting on her empty nest.

 

[R2elk]

Now that the keets are fine..
Any ideas on what I do with the mother ? She’s still sitting on her empty nest.

Destroy the nest. If necessary put something (log, cinder block, etc.) where the nest is so she cannot get to it.