HELP! New Keets in Unprotected Nest

[tnctx]

Our Guinea hen made a nest in tall grass along side a building and is sitting on about twenty eggs. Today I see that at least four have hatched but I can’t get close bc she hisses, screams and starts attacking me. I have a safe place to put the babies but cannot get to them bc she comes at me like an insane badger. Do I just leave them be and see what happens? We have hawks, raccoons, cats, dogs, etc. Suggestions and/or advice very welcome. Thank you!

 

[R2elk]

Our Guinea hen made a nest in tall grass along side a building and is sitting on about twenty eggs. Today I see that at least four have hatched but I can’t get close bc she hisses, screams and starts attacking me. I have a safe place to put the babies but cannot get to them bc she comes at me like an insane badger. Do I just leave them be and see what happens? We have hawks, raccoons, cats, dogs, etc. Suggestions and/or advice very welcome. Thank you!

Use a big net to capture her. Put her in the enclosed area. Capture the keets and gather the eggs and move them all in with her.

Be prepared to put the keets in a brooder if she doesn't accept the new situation.

 

[tnctx]

Use a big net to capture her. Put her in the enclosed area. Capture the keets and gather the eggs and move them all in with her.

Be prepared to put the keets in a brooder if she doesn't accept the new situation.

Thanks, @R2elk! We ended up netting momma and taking babies to brooder. There were 15 babies (one is very weak) and 10 eggs in the nest. Momma put up a fight but stayed with the 9nest and has calmed down considerably. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and expertise.

 

[tnctx]

PS #15 has splayed legs and a pasty butt. Have found solutions for the splayed legs but not sure of best treatment for its bloody pasty butt. Have cleaned it several times and sprayed it with the poultry stuff from Tractor Supply. Now what? Thanks again, R2elk.

 

[R2elk]

PS #15 has splayed legs and a pasty butt. Have found solutions for the splayed legs but not sure of best treatment for its bloody pasty butt. Have cleaned it several times and sprayed it with the poultry stuff from Tractor Supply. Now what? Thanks again, R2elk.

Personally I would cull it.

 

[tnctx]

Personally I would cull it.

It died that night. Subsequently, we found a stray with mom and just left it with her then over the next few days added five others back with her. So now mom, dad and six babies just roam around the yard. She has nine others doing well in the brooder. In the “teen” group of six, it appears we have at least three boys, possibly four; with two or three girls, and they are already sexually active. Mom has 12 eggs in the nest that she has been ignoring since the babies hatched then was suddenly sitting on them this
morning. We don’t want more keets at this time. Should we just take the eggs out of the nest and dispose of them? As always, thanks for your sage advice, R2elk!

 

[R2elk]

It died that night. Subsequently, we found a stray with mom and just left it with her then over the next few days added five others back with her. So now mom, dad and six babies just roam around the yard. She has nine others doing well in the brooder. In the “teen” group of six, it appears we have at least three boys, possibly four; with two or three girls, and they are already sexually active. Mom has 12 eggs in the nest that she has been ignoring since the babies hatched then was suddenly sitting on them this
morning. We don’t want more keets at this time. Should we just take the eggs out of the nest and dispose of them? As always, thanks for your sage advice, R2elk!

Toss the eggs. They are probably bad by now.