My guinea hen just went broody!!!

[Must Be Losing It]

Holy crow! One of my hens was looking a little pale around the edges, been taking dust bathes like crazy and next thing you know, I was a little late in picking up the eggs one day and there she was sitting tight on them.

She did get off them the next day for a while but this morning when I went to feed my guineas she wouldn't budge at all and breakfast time is usually a busy time in the pen.

Now what do I do - just watch and wait? Do I need to bring her feed and water?

Sorry, first time hatching eggs naturally.

 

[warcard]

Is she in a predator resistant area? If not, you might want to move her to safety one night. Guinea hens are notorious for not leaving the nest and letting a hawk or raccoon pick them off. They are also bad mothers once the babies hatch, taking the newborn keets into dewy grass, getting them chilled, and walking off without them. I would brood the babies yourself once they are hatched.

 

[Must Be Losing It]

Fortunately both she and the other two hens laid them in their coop in a nest area so all are safe and sound. I will have to make some adjustments to their pen so when the keets hatch they cannot get out.

 

[Jenlyn9483]

I think the best thing would be to have her in an enclosure with her keats that they cant get out of. This is the first year that i have ever raised Guineas and they dont seem to be kindly to babies that are not thiers and adult males dont seem to like baby keats or anything baby for that matter. At least not mine.

 

[Must Be Losing It]

Well, now she's off the eggs and roosting for the evening not on the eggs. Is this normal?