Guinea hens laying on the roost?

[Florida Bullfrog]

My guineas free range all day and at night they roost under a fenced-in lean-to with perches. They’re about 6 months old at the oldest. 3 days ago I found a soft, orange, egg under the roost. I took this to be a first egg for one of the guinea hens that she laid during the day at some point. This evening when locking the guineas up I found another soft egg under the roost. This one had more of a shell but was still not properly hardened. This egg also had droppings on it from the roost. Then I realized the egg was probably laid during the night.

Anyone else ever see this sort of laying behavior in a guinea of any age.

 

[R2elk]

My guineas free range all day and at night they roost under a fenced-in lean-to with perches. They’re about 6 months old at the oldest. 3 days ago I found a soft, orange, egg under the roost. I took this to be a first egg for one of the guinea hens that she laid during the day at some point. This evening when locking the guineas up I found another soft egg under the roost. This one had more of a shell but was still not properly hardened. This egg also had droppings on it from the roost. Then I realized the egg was probably laid during the night.

Anyone else ever see this sort of laying behavior in a guinea of any age.

It is relatively common for new layers. Make sure you are providing a calcium source such as free choice oyster shell.

It is not uncommon for guinea hens that are not receiving sufficient calcium to develop a calcium deficiency which eventually ends up with the guinea not being able to stand or walk.

New layers will lay their eggs whenever and wherever they happen to be at the time the urge hits them. This includes dropping eggs from the roost anywhere from the evening, through the night and into the morning.

Once they begin to realize what is going on, they will seek out a hidden nest site to lay their eggs. They often have communal nests where many hens will deposit their eggs.