Guinea laying question

[PeepsCA]

They can start laying any time of the day but the Hens in my flocks will generally lay a little later and later each day until they skip a day, then start early the following day and again goes the cycle. Keeping them locked up is a bummer, but not as much of a bummer as losing a Hen that's gone broody on a secret pile of eggs and a predator ends up nabbing her

I go thru this each breeding/laying season, so I feel your pain

 

[fizz]

Thanks for the reply PeepsCA. That is, indeed, a bummer

I especially don't want to keep them in when we start to get into full summer (we can get temps up to 38c/100F in high summer). I think it would also be difficult to separate the hens, as although I know who they are, one of them is the dominantrix of the flock and she would be calling comeBACK all day long with the males running around the outside of the run in a flummox. So they'd have to be all in.

*sigh*

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
LOL that's a great idea.. but funny at the same time, lol.

Typically in my flocks the darker colored birds lay the darker pigmented eggs. My White Hen lays pure white eggs.

It's pretty close to the end of the laying season for most Guinea Hens (depending on your weather, but mostly the shorter daylight hours triggers the Hens to stop laying and go thru a moult), so they may have been laying outdoors somewhere, but have recently stopped for the year. Young Hens typically have no clue what they are doing when they lay their first few eggs, but if you let them out, hang back and watch where they go, they may lead you to a full nest (if predators have not taken the eggs).

I am sorry I just can see a rubber glove a bottle of food coloring and a hapless guinea awaiting the proceedure.