Guinea eggs left in the nest

[Marmack]

Do you keep the hen in the brooder? She and 17 chicks escaped the coop today we got them in the brooder which is L shaped and attached to the side of the coop and made with 8x4 panels and wire mesh. They had a great day foraging,
It was great watching mom and 2 other hens keep the chicks together but only mom gave the ‘goback’ call to the chicks. When it was time to settle down she was not going to take the chicks back to the coop without some encouragement. Finally all where safely under mom for the night.
If it was a safe area outside we might have left them but I know we have possums and foxes that walk through the area at night.

 

[R2elk]

Do you keep the hen in the brooder? She and 17 chicks escaped the coop today we got them in the brooder which is L shaped and attached to the side of the coop and made with 8x4 panels and wire mesh. They had a great day foraging,
It was great watching mom and 2 other hens keep the chicks together but only mom gave the ‘goback’ call to the chicks. When it was time to settle down she was not going to take the chicks back to the coop without some encouragement. Finally all where safely under mom for the night.
If it was a safe area outside we might have left them but I know we have possums and foxes that walk through the area at night.

No, I take the keets and put them in a heated brooder. If the hen is with them and accepting all of them, the best thing to do is to keep her and the keets in a dry enclosed area. Too often guinea hens will lose the keets that can't keep up or drag them through wet grass when they need to be dry.

It is not uncommon for other members of the flock to help out with the new keets that have been hatched by a flock member.

Good luck.

 

[Marmack]

This Guinea hen is only a year old and she is a pro. From the time the keets opened their shells to their first weeks birthday. She and the keets broke out of the coop after day 3. She is an awesome mom. I could not keep track of 15 little guys and gals as well as she does. She has a little help from a volunteer but even puts them to bed in their new pen in a tight little place. Don’t get between her and her babies as you might not survive the flying guinea attack. This has been an amazing adventure. The four keets by themselves were under a broody chicken. They are waiting for the little squirts that were left in the nest after the majority of eggs had hatched.

 

[Marmack]

The keets are just over a month old and doing well, they have been going out with their parents since day 3 and have all survived. It is amazing to see how mom keeps them with her, you will hear a frequent go-back-go-back. The keets never travel very far away from her. She has taught them how to bath in the dirt and they are now flying to the topmost fence board. The parents are very good and how they manage to keep track of 17 babies is a wonder. Today they began exploring the chicken coop, cannot wait for them to move in.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

The keets are just over a month old and doing well, they have been going out with their parents since day 3 and have all survived. It is amazing to see how mom keeps them with her, you will hear a frequent go-back-go-back. The keets never travel very far away from her. She has taught them how to bath in the dirt and they are now flying to the topmost fence board. The parents are very good and how they manage to keep track of 17 babies is a wonder. Today they began exploring the chicken coop, cannot wait for them to move in.

How awesome - Congratulations!!!