Guinea talk.

[GlennLee]

Make sure you hear a "buckwheat" before you take them home with you. Only the female makes that call. Is there any way you can keep the ladies separate from him, but let him see them? Like be separated by a fence? That way you could observe their interactions before putting them all together. I find if mine aggressively peck at each other through the fence, there are probably going to be problems.

 

[GldnValleyHens]

The lady says she wants me to get them at night, because thats the only way they are catchable. I really doubt I will hear a buckwheat call when they are all dozing. I know thats the only sure way besides eggs, but I'm at a loss of what to do.Cross my fingers and hope for the best? Not likely gonna work out!!

 

[Victoria-nola]

Hi everyone. Have not been here in a long time, been extremely busy and only breadwinner on farm right now. Big changes in the BYC interface since I was last here and I can't find the names of the folks I used to depend on for answers. I have so much to report in my adventure with guineas. But for right now, I need some advice from experienced folks. This year, my guineas have set up their communal nest in my vegetable garden. It is fenced, so they are flying in and out, except for when I open the gate for them, and it appears one of the gates is ajar and some of them are using that. I'm thrilled they have chosen the garden because it is safer from predators and they might succeed in hatching their brood. I had really hoped they would do something like this, so very happy. Also, the fact that they are flying in and out of the garden means they are foraging in the garden, which is perfect (we have chickens and have to keep them out of the garden).

HERE'S MY QUESTION: Where they have laid their eggs is in a row of collards. The collards are playing out, thinning out and will start going to flower and then dying, and I'm afraid they barely have enough cover now and won't have enough or any cover soon. Any thoughts on how I could help them without freaking them out and making them abandon the nest? afaik they are not yet setting on it [CORRECTION: They started setting last night]. I was trying to picture adding a screen somehow, I guess nothing is really going to work though.

We've decided to just not plant that portion of the garden this season, and we can do that because it is a kind of extension of the main garden, but we still need to go in and out of the gates and work on the rest of the garden, and I want to spray Bt to control the cabbage worms. oh, and, they are no longer roosting in their coop, they abandoned it and are roosting in the oak tree next to the barn (and got snowed on and overnight temps down in the teens at times this winter). That oak tree also overlooks the veg garden so their nest is very nicely situated for them.

 

[Dmontgomery]

Hi everyone. Have not been here in a long time, been extremely busy and only breadwinner on farm right now. Big changes in the BYC interface since I was last here and I can't find the names of the folks I used to depend on for answers. I have so much to report in my adventure with guineas. But for right now, I need some advice from experienced folks. This year, my guineas have set up their communal nest in my vegetable garden. It is fenced, so they are flying in and out, except for when I open the gate for them, and it appears one of the gates is ajar and some of them are using that. I'm thrilled they have chosen the garden because it is safer from predators and they might succeed in hatching their brood. I had really hoped they would do something like this, so very happy. Also, the fact that they are flying in and out of the garden means they are foraging in the garden, which is perfect (we have chickens and have to keep them out of the garden).

HERE'S MY QUESTION: Where they have laid their eggs is in a row of collards. The collards are playing out, thinning out and will start going to flower and then dying, and I'm afraid they barely have enough cover now and won't have enough or any cover soon. Any thoughts on how I could help them without freaking them out and making them abandon the nest? afaik they are not yet setting on it [CORRECTION: They started setting last night]. I was trying to picture adding a screen somehow, I guess nothing is really going to work though.

We've decided to just not plant that portion of the garden this season, and we can do that because it is a kind of extension of the main garden, but we still need to go in and out of the gates and work on the rest of the garden, and I want to spray Bt to control the cabbage worms. oh, and, they are no longer roosting in their coop, they abandoned it and are roosting in the oak tree next to the barn (and got snowed on and overnight temps down in the teens at times this winter). That oak tree also overlooks the veg garden so their nest is very nicely situated for them.

Last year, I was able to build a little “cave” using bales of hay around a nest the guineas had already been laying in for a few days. It did not seem to bother them because they kept on laying until the nest was full.

 

[Victoria-nola]

Last year, I was able to build a little “cave” using bales of hay around a nest the guineas had already been laying in for a few days. It did not seem to bother them because they kept on laying until the nest was full.

Hi, Thank you very much. I only had 1 straw bale and no hay, but I did put that in the garden so that they have more cover/privacy now. The birds are setting it again so we didn't disturb them. This was a great idea and I really appreciate your help.

As time goes on we love our guineas more and more.

 

[GlennLee]

The lady says she wants me to get them at night, because thats the only way they are catchable. I really doubt I will hear a buckwheat call when they are all dozing. I know thats the only sure way besides eggs, but I'm at a loss of what to do.Cross my fingers and hope for the best? Not likely gonna work out!!

Well, take four and you might end up with two females.

 

[GlennLee]

@Victoria-nola welcome back!

Looks like you got some good advice on the privacy issue from @Dmontgomery. Glad that the straw bales are working for you. You never know what will spook them into getting off a nest.

Yes, the new BYC is a bit awkward at first and some of the folks who used to be on have left. Hope you are able to connect with those you are still missing.

Make sure to keep us posted on your hatchings. Still no eggs here in Central New York and that's a good thing since we still have about 8 inches of snow. The edges are finally melting away and the birds are able to pick at some grass.

Anyone else getting eggs?

 

[Victoria-nola]

@Victoria-nola welcome back!

Looks like you got some good advice on the privacy issue from @Dmontgomery. Glad that the straw bales are working for you. You never know what will spook them into getting off a nest.

Yes, the new BYC is a bit awkward at first and some of the folks who used to be on have left. Hope you are able to connect with those you are still missing.

Make sure to keep us posted on your hatchings. Still no eggs here in Central New York and that's a good thing since we still have about 8 inches of snow. The edges are finally melting away and the birds are able to pick at some grass.

Anyone else getting eggs?

Thank you. I think it's very possible the guineas wouldn't go into egg-laying mode until the weather is appropriate. I'm in Southwest Miss., so while we had light frosts 10 days or so ago, we've now moved out of any freezing. And I think the birds know it.

 

[MartinsPoultry]

Off topic but I got accepted into PennState.

 

[GldnValleyHens]

Well, take four and you might end up with two females.

I might get into trouble if I bring home that many guineas! I already have 15 chickens!