Help with my Quines hens

[Newquineamom]

Well I finally got my guineas to go in the coop at night. Thanks to people on this site I am so grateful. But I am down one. First night did not bother me because they have been in the tree's. But is has been over a week now. I fear the worst has happened to her.
Also I went up to let my guineas out for the day yesterday and noticed 3eggs in a pile on the floor of the coop, they were hard to see at first, she had them covered with shavings. I was so excited to see them. And on mother's day too lol.Anyway what do I do. I have a male guinea and I want babies. Please help I am not sure what to do. Should I put something on the floor for her to keep her eggs in. I need help.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Greetings Newquineamom,

So glad your guineas are doing well. But, I am sorry one is missing.

Now, you have to focus on the flock, soon to be expanding! Maybe...

Hopefully the guinea keepers, R2elk, NonnasBabies, will soon reply to your post.

From what I have read, guineas will lay their eggs on the bedding, cover to hide them. Brush and twigs can be set around the nest area, for privacy. The male will get protective of the hen while she is laying, and screech at anyone or thing, trying to approach. The eggs should hatch in 26 days, but some will hatch on the 24th, the 25th day.

Hopefully, the mama guinea is sitting on them, if not you may have to incubate them yourself.

How exciting!

God Bless

 

[R2elk]

Well I finally got my guineas to go in the coop at night. Thanks to people on this site I am so grateful. But I am down one. First night did not bother me because they have been in the tree's. But is has been over a week now. I fear the worst has happened to her.
Also I went up to let my guineas out for the day yesterday and noticed 3eggs in a pile on the floor of the coop, they were hard to see at first, she had them covered with shavings. I was so excited to see them. And on mother's day too lol.Anyway what do I do. I have a male guinea and I want babies. Please help I am not sure what to do. Should I put something on the floor for her to keep her eggs in. I need help.

If the particular spot they laid the eggs in is not a bad location, just leave them alone. The quickest way to get a guinea hen to abandon a nest is to mess with the nest. The vast majority of guineas do not care about your fancy nest boxes, they are ground nesters and normally pick a hidden area for their nest.

Some people have had success by building small "caves" using hay or straw bales that their guineas use as nesting sites.

Do not expect your guineas to go broody anytime soon. They can lay huge clutches of eggs in communal nests before deciding to go broody. Most guinea hens will go broody but I have some that have never gone broody.

You can always collect the eggs and incubate them yourself. If you do that be sure to leave fake eggs in the nest to keep them using the nest. The normal incubation time for guinea eggs is 26 to 28 days.

Good luck.

 

[Newquineamom]

Greetings Newquineamom,

So glad your guineas are doing well. But, I am sorry one is missing.

Now, you have to focus on the flock, soon to be expanding! Maybe...

Hopefully the guinea keepers, R2elk, NonnasBabies, will soon reply to your post.

From what I have read, guineas will lay their eggs on the bedding, cover to hide them. Brush and twigs can be set around the nest area, for privacy. The male will get protective of the hen while she is laying, and screech at anyone or thing, trying to approach. The eggs should hatch in 26 days, but some will hatch on the 24th, the 25th day.

Hopefully, the mama guinea is sitting on them, if not you may have to incubate them yourself.

How exciting!

God Bless

If she is not setting on them. I noticed when I went up and I noticed 4 eggs Sunday morning. Should I just leave them. Is it to late for them. I alsofound one out side the coop when I went to close them in for the night. So I brought it down to the house. I put it in a plastic container with a cloth rag and under a light. I am new at this but want to learn what to do. I will do what ever I need to do to help my guineas.

 

[R2elk]

If she is not setting on them. I noticed when I went up and I noticed 4 eggs Sunday morning. Should I just leave them. Is it to late for them. I also found one out side the coop when I went to close them in for the night. So I brought it down to the house. I put it in a plastic container with a cloth rag and under a light. I am new at this but want to learn what to do. I will do what ever I need to do to help my guineas.

There is no reason to expect one of your guinea hens to go broody after just having started laying. It would not surprise me if it takes a month before any of them go broody. If you want the guineas to go broody, you should have just added the found outside egg to the inside nest.

Bringing it in the house is fine if you want to eat the egg or if you plan on incubating it yourself. If you plan on incubating the eggs, do not store the eggs in a plastic container with a light on them. You can store the eggs pointy side down in an egg carton in a cool room. The easy way to turn the eggs is by placing an object under one side of the egg carton so that it is at least at a 30° angle but 45° is better. Alternate which end of the carton is up, preferably at least 3 times a day.

If you don't have an incubator, you can make an incubator but it is not just stick the egg under a lamp. There are many threads on how people have made their own incubators.

If you want the guineas to hatch the eggs themselves you are going to have to learn to be patient. They will do it when it suits them.

 

[Newquineamom]

There is no reason to expect one of your guinea hens to go broody after just having started laying. It would not surprise me if it takes a month before any of them go broody. If you want the guineas to go broody, you should have just added the found outside egg to the inside nest.

Bringing it in the house is fine if you want to eat the egg or if you plan on incubating it yourself. If you plan on incubating the eggs, do not store the eggs in a plastic container with a light on them. You can store the eggs pointy side down in an egg carton in a cool room. The easy way to turn the eggs is by placing an object under one side of the egg carton so that it is at least at a 30° angle but 45° is better. Alternate which end of the carton is up, preferably at least 3 times a day.

If you don't have an incubator, you can make an incubator but it is not just stick the egg under a lamp. There are many threads on how people have made their own incubators.

If you want the guineas to hatch the eggs themselves you are going to have to learn to be patient. They will do it when it suits them.

Thank you for your advice. I am glad I have people that can help me.Thank you everyone!