My First Eggs

[Jerzy LuLu]

My Hen (Dottie) laid 3 eggs nested a few hours then left not to return until the next day, today she laid 1 more sat a few hours and left again. First of all will (if they area chick to be) hatch due to her not being consistent with nesting? I have since stuck the eggs under my lazy cat she could care less that they are there and sleeps in one position for about 15 hours. Will she be a sufficient surrogate along with a heat lamp at night? I know it sounds crazy but I don't have all that stuff and only one Guinea hen and one male.

 

[mommaguinea]

Guineas will lay and leave and sometimes share nests until they become broody, which, sometimes is NEVER! I pick up eggs and leave them at room temperature until I have a setting, but no more than five days, then put them in the incubator. The potential baby will not develop until it starts the high temps and humidity of a brooding hen or an incubator , so they will hatch in a close time-frame. If you put them in an incubator (or under your cat, too funny) they may all hatch out at different times. In guinea life, this would be deadly as the hen would leave the nest with the first babies and the others would not hatch..so nature has it's ways.