i found a nest! *another update!!*

[birdbrain5]

i was about to post and ask if anyone elses guineas were on strike and not laying, when i stumbled apon a big nest that was right under my nose! i have at least 6 hens and i think they all must be laying. the nest is in a decent spot, but im not sure what to do now. do i leave it and wait until someone decided to sit? in the meantime should i cover it when it rains? they will surely get soaked. right now its pouring and i went out to throw a trash can cover over it and theres a guinea on there now. what do you all do with your nests? im not sure i want to start up the incubators again but im tempted... if i do collect eggs should i leave a few there to keep them laying in that same spot?

 

[PeepsCA]

If you cover it... you make spook the Hen into abandoning the nest. I collect all my Hens' eggs, and put marked eggs in the nests so the Hen or Hens continue to lay there. Maybe you got lucky and the Hen that's on it in the rain is puttin' it into broody gear!

But yes, if you do take the eggs for the incubator (do it do it do it lol), I'd either leave her some marked old eggs or even some brown chicken eggs to keep her laying there. Luckily for me just 4-6 eggs usually fools my Hens

 

[birdbrain5]

well i went out again and she was off the nest so it doesnt look as though she is going to sit quite yet. i wish someone would! i am being forbid to start up the bators again, and i almost rather not only because i plan to be going on vacation sometime in the next month or so and dont have anyone to look after chicks. if a mama hen hatched some babies i would be happy tho! and probably end up taking them anyway... desicions desicions.

if i do leave the nest and wait for someone to sit, is it just a matter of time before one of them decides to? or could none of them ever end up sitting on them? also, does it matter if they do get rained on? (the eggs i mean) i imagine in the wild this same situation occured where the nest of eggs got rained on before a hen decided to sit.. ?

 

[PeepsCA]

If more than one Hen is laying eggs in the nest, one or both will eventually go broody on it when one or the other or both feel they have laid a big enough clutch of eggs, unless they are bothered too much or spooked and decide it's not a safe spot to lay and brood. Then they will abandon the nest and lay somewhere else

I've incubated rained on eggs before, and had a decent hatch rate. Can't say how it'll work out for you tho

 

[sred98]

Just keep a watch and see if they are adding eggs daily. Mine don't even think of sitting until they have between 20-40 eggs!!

Just be patient and don't bother the nest too much.

Good luck!

Shelly

 

[birdbrain5]

well i was informed one of my guin hens are on the nest! i will be going out in a bit to check and see if shes still there but it was past dark when she was there, so i doubt she was just laying then. so how what do i do for her to make sure shes ok? i have a wire dog crate i could put over her to keep out predators, but snakes could still get though

also, will this disturb her if i do that? or what would happen if i moved her all together? is night time the best time do either move her or put the cage over her? thanks for any advice!!

 

[sred98]

I wouldn't worry about snakes. My chickens will let a snake get under them and eat every egg in there! My guineas actively hunt snakes down to eat them! I'd be more worried about the dog crate spooking her. Also, if you want to try the crate, wait til you know she's broody. She won't leave the nest at all and she'll peck the fire out of you! If you do it before she's ready, you'll definitely break her broodiness!

Good luck!

Shelly

 

[perchie.girl]

 

[birdbrain5]

ok i will just have to

that nothing gets to her tonight. shes really close by the coops/back of the house so its not like shes out in the middle of nowhere or the woods, so i will see what shes up to tomorrow and see about putting the cage around her. i hate to not do anything at all for the duration of her sitting because i feel like that would be gambling with her and the clutch. ill keep you all posted! when i do put the cage over her should i do it at night or during the day tho?

by the way there had to be between 20-30 eggs in there id say!

 

[PeepsCA]

I wouldn't move her, she will most likely abandon the eggs and go bazerk trying to get out of wherever ya move her too. Unfortunately for those of us who'd LOVE for our Guinea Hens to raised/brood a clutch... they usually fight us tooth and nail if we don't completely leave them alone, even if we are trying to help! Dang birds anyway

If you feel she is fairly safe, I'd just leave her be... if it was meant to happen, it will