Missing or Sitting?

[Foghorn Mike]

I have 4 females and 4 males. For the last 3 days, one of my females has gone MIA. I see no evidence that anything got her, but they range over about 10 acres so anything could have happened. The male she paired with is now hard to get in the coop at night and you will see him from time to time wondering alone yelling or looking. I have tried to see if they are going to 1 place where she might be, but no luck. I would think he would go to her from time to time if she was sitting? I also have about 5 acres of hay that will be cut in the next 2 weeks. If she is in that hay field, I'm not sure how to find her or if she will get out of the way when the equipment comes in.

 

[kyle7630]

My males stayed pretty close to the hen while she was sitting. I'm guessing they will lead you to the general area of the nest, and then you have to be diligent about watching for her and following her back to it. Just a guess though. I hope she is ok.

 

[cgmccary]

I watched the males and see where they are standing during the day and then look in those areas (and I also search general areas where I saw them previously hanging out a lot). I have found 5 nests this way. My sitting Guinea hens will also sometimes "buckwheat" from the nest like she is calling her mate so listen for that.

 

[cracking up]

At some point during the day there is always a lot of commotion around the nest. They seem to all lay in the same nest until one starts to sit, then the others start on a new nest.

I would really try to find her before the equipment comes in because I think it will be hard for her to get out of the way. Mine have nested in long grass and they get real still and don't move if you come near.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I too am missing a guinea hen and suspect her of sitting. I almost never 'lose' guineas any other way. They will only come off the nest once a day and they will fly out of it so as not to attract predators. While the hen is sitting the males will not go near the nest from what I have seen with my birds. Luckily, whenever the guineas take flight the chicken roosters call out the warning so if she does come flying in I should get some notice.

 

[Foghorn Mike]

They are not making it easy. Before this hey is cut, I'll do my best to walk the section I think she might be, in sections 5 foot apart. Other than that, I also have two creeks full of briars 4 foot tall. I would need a armored vehicle to get in there. I got lucky and found a nest in there about a month ago with 6 eggs in it, I saw her going into it. Something made its way in there and busted those up in 2 days. If she/they go to sitting, it's going to be lucky if they make it 20+ days. I have every varmint around here you could imagine.

 

[BAMACK2]

Sitting