So i free range my chickens and guineas and in the last few years the guineas have dwindled to a small flock of 1 female and 3 males.
Then last month i only saw the three males and knew either my one remaining female was eaten by something or was sitting somewhere on eggs.
So noticed the 3 males hanging out at the end of the driveway a couple days ago and found the female and her clutch in the tall grass in the orchard.
SO latter that night my daughter and i tried to collect her and the eggs as my other females were lost to fox, coyote or racoon while nesting in the orchard.
Anyway, she was not cooperative and we were not able to capture her.
We did collect 7 keets and 13 eggs.
I always have broodys so and moved 1 droody to hutch 1 with 7 keets and another broody with13 eggs to hutch 2.
So everybody is happy and second broody now has 12 keets.
I would have loved to let mama guinea raise her own but have lost many baby guineas because mom guineas return to the group of adults and keets die of exposure as they cant keep up.
Below are some pictures of Everest with 12 keets. A happy and contented Mom.
Then last month i only saw the three males and knew either my one remaining female was eaten by something or was sitting somewhere on eggs.
So noticed the 3 males hanging out at the end of the driveway a couple days ago and found the female and her clutch in the tall grass in the orchard.
SO latter that night my daughter and i tried to collect her and the eggs as my other females were lost to fox, coyote or racoon while nesting in the orchard.
Anyway, she was not cooperative and we were not able to capture her.
We did collect 7 keets and 13 eggs.
I always have broodys so and moved 1 droody to hutch 1 with 7 keets and another broody with13 eggs to hutch 2.
So everybody is happy and second broody now has 12 keets.
I would have loved to let mama guinea raise her own but have lost many baby guineas because mom guineas return to the group of adults and keets die of exposure as they cant keep up.
Below are some pictures of Everest with 12 keets. A happy and contented Mom.