Letting Momma Do It

[Ravie]

Hi everyone, I have free-ranging guinea fowl. One of them went broody under my pool deck and has babies due this coming Monday (4 days from today). I haven't actually decided what to DO when the babies hatch. This is my first natural guinea experience. Typically, I just move my momma chickens to a small coop as soon as they go broody. With ducks, I just put fencing around them where they sit. I don't think my guinea hen will let me move her, and I REALLY don't want to get the incubator set up for just a few days. I could try the fencing route, but it would be difficult to get the fencing around and behind the deck stairs.

I have heard guineas are bad mothers, but most people say it's because they walk their babies through dewy grass. I also think baby guinea would be very attractive to predators. My chicken hens do a great job keeping their babies alive in a free-range environment, but I am not sure how the guinea will do.

I think I have a couple choices. I can:

1. Wait until the babies hatch and then try to take them from Momma. This might be rough. I am almost 9 months pregnant and Momma has 16 eggs she's sitting on!

2. I can attempt to (somehow) fence them. Momma could get out, but the babies wouldn't be able to.

3. I can relax and just let Momma handle it.

4. I can try REALLY, REALLY hard to "herd" them into the coop. I may not actually achieve this.

What would you guys do? Or what have you done in this situation?

Appreciate the advice!

 

[Naunnie]

I am new to Guineas also, so not sure what your best option is....sorry. I am interested to hear what others may suggest. I just purchased a bakers dozen of 3 day old keets. ) I wish you could move her and the eggs before they hatch. If you could catch her, mark the eggs and place them back in the secured nest, would she stop sitting....? If that would not work, I think your option 2, is what I would try to do. Is it possible to just fence or partition off a small spot around her, instead of the whole deck? It would make it easier to catch babies and put them in a brooder.

Congratulations on your soon to be arrival! )

I just found this link....maybe it will help.
http://www.guineafowl.com/fritsfarm/guineas/relocating.html

 

[jprinc44]

You should probably try to fence them if you can, because as you said, they are VERY susceptible to predators right when she first tries to move them. I have had guineas for about 7 years, but have never had one raise a litter herself. The last one who had a litter to hatch was killed trying to get them across the yard to safety, and the male actually stepped in to protect them until I got home. I have not been inclined to let any go broody since then Not saying it can't happen, just very difficult. HTH, Janet.

 

[Ravie]

I gave a friend of mine some duck eggs to hatch, but my friend didn't take ANY of my advice and all but ONE (unhatched) duckling died. My friend was distraught and gave the last egg back to me. Most of you know that a single duckling is not a happy duckling. So I waited until my guinea hen got off her nest, and I raided it. I took 9 from her, to put in the incubator with the duck egg. That way, it could have some (very strange) brothers and sisters. Both types of eggs are supposed to hatch within 24 hours of each other, and so far, it is working perfectly. The duckling has pipped, and three guineas have already hatched. Yay!

There are 7 eggs under Momma guinea still. I think I am just going to let her have them, and see how she does. I really want to learn as much as I can and am willing to brood them if it becomes necessary.

 

[Ravie]

I figured I'd update for the sake of others who may have concerns similar to mine. I hatched out all 9 of the eggs I took from Momma Guinea. They are all in the brooder and doing well. I left Momma Guinea with 7 eggs which she hatched out herself. Not only has she been a phenomenal mother, but the two guinea-roosters have been taking a MAJOR roll in caring for the keets. One guinea-rooster plays "watchdog" while the other actually does as much work as Momma does. He feeds them, and even sits on them himself when they are cold. They have been at it for 8 days (most with cool temperatures and rain!), and only one chick has disappeared (I expect to lose a few). The guinea-roosters run off any of my curious chickens, geese, ducks or turkeys. It has been a beautiful thing to watch.

 

[Sandshaven]

Congratulations!!! I really like to read success stories..Glad they are doing so well.