Guinea nests

[doxie9]

My guineas are laying eggs all over their pen. I set up a nest box, but they have ignored it. They are only two years old. How can I coax them to lay in a nest box and sit on eggs. They seem to just drop and run. They are confined to a pen.. Thanks

 

[GlennLee]

I've had good luck with straw bales and feed tubs, but both were in the barn before they started laying to give them time to inspect and be familiar with the items. I'd try a feed tub or something like that on the floor with straw in it and gather the eggs and put them in there. I've also had good luck using ceramic eggs to encourage them to lay in a particular area. They do like to drop and run though! Good luck.

 

[GlennLee]

 

[doxie9]

I've had good luck with straw bales and feed tubs, but both were in the barn before they started laying to give them time to inspect and be familiar with the items. I'd try a feed tub or something like that on the floor with straw in it and gather the eggs and put them in there. I've also had good luck using ceramic eggs to encourage them to lay in a particular area. They do like to drop and run though! Good luck. View attachment 1045486 View attachment 1045487

ok I'll give that a go.. maybe they will get the hint. Last year I had a hen hatch a keet lol but I'd like to encourage the guineas to tend to their own thanks.

 

[GlennLee]

Well, at least someone is hatching them! Fingers crossed that your guineas will start to hatch their own. FYI - they will lay around 35 eggs before going broody, but realistically their bodies can only cover and successfully hatch around 20 eggs. I wait until there are about 5 eggs in the nest and then start to pull some as they continue to lay, keeping the freshest eggs as the last 20 in the nest with hopes that they will hatch. Enjoy!

 

[mainelyzal]

We have five guinea hens who free range on our 5+ acres as well as the neighbors' acreage as well so they have plenty of area to roam. Most of the time they lay eggs in the hen houses as we have nest boxes there but every once an awhile they decide to find a spot in the woods or under a canoe to lay their eggs. I found one pile of 60 eggs thanks to our Labrador, Wilson who brought me one from the woods. A few weeks later there was another 50 under the canoe leaning against the barn. The chickens will add to this pile sometimes. Now, they're doing it again somewhere; I (and Wilson) just can't find the spot. Any ideas would be most helpful.

 

[GlennLee]

Oh my! They are all very busy at your place! One pile of 60 eggs - I am picturing a small mountain there. One of the people posting on the Guinea Talk thread has Basset hounds who actually retrieve eggs and deliver them on their doorstep. You're lucky that Wilson also has the gift of locating the nests. Are you able to take Wilson for a walk around the property to try to sniff the nest out? I just know it's very difficult to find them and if they go broody on the nest - even more difficult. If there's bird movement you can usually catch the white on the face moving around the greenery. Other than walking, taking the dog and using binoculars, I can't think of any other ways to track them down. Good luck and keep us posted. I hope everyone remains safe.

 

[doxie9]

Well, at least someone is hatching them! Fingers crossed that your guineas will start to hatch their own. FYI - they will lay around 35 eggs before going broody, but realistically their bodies can only cover and successfully hatch around 20 eggs. I wait until there are about 5 eggs in the nest and then start to pull some as they continue to lay, keeping the freshest eggs as the last 20 in the nest with hopes that they will hatch. Enjoy!

I have resorted to an incubator lol... as the hen that had hatched a guinea two years ago is busy with three chicks.. We shall see what happens.

 

[doxie9]

We have five guinea hens who free range on our 5+ acres as well as the neighbors' acreage as well so they have plenty of area to roam. Most of the time they lay eggs in the hen houses as we have nest boxes there but every once an awhile they decide to find a spot in the woods or under a canoe to lay their eggs. I found one pile of 60 eggs thanks to our Labrador, Wilson who brought me one from the woods. A few weeks later there was another 50 under the canoe leaning against the barn. The chickens will add to this pile sometimes. Now, they're doing it again somewhere; I (and Wilson) just can't find the spot. Any ideas would be most helpful.

that's a lot of eggs

 

[mainelyzal]

Thanks for these ideas. What's really amazing is the fact that none of those eggs were touched by critters and we have plenty on our woods here in Maine. I think the dogs roaming around the property helps with their marking everywhere.