Oh no...Guineas eating chicken eggs

[Phisch]

Is there a way to end this? I found our five Guineas hanging right on the nesting boxes. One egg had a hole remarkably like a beak did it. A couple weeks ago, one of the eggs in a nesting box was half-eaten. So I think this loud bunch might be suspects.

 

[mkeawsh]

I found the culprits to be two hens. The guineas were the ones there just hanging out when I would find half eaten eggs until I went over before the guineas on separate occasions and found eaten eggs and more than once caught a RR and a sex-link breaking them open. I have them banded and and will be gone soon. Since I have separated them no more eaten eggs and the guineas still hang out in the house and tractors. it's not always who you think just because they are in the vicinity. Make sure before you make a decision.
That is just my experience.

 

[R2elk]

Is there a way to end this? I found our five Guineas hanging right on the nesting boxes. One egg had a hole remarkably like a beak did it. A couple weeks ago, one of the eggs in a nesting box was half-eaten. So I think this loud bunch might be suspects.

It is also entirely possible that the hen caused the hole when she was getting out of the nest box.

Of course if it is the guineas, you can cure the problem by eating the guineas. They are delicious.

 

[ShannonR]

It is also entirely possible that the hen caused the hole when she was getting out of the nest box.

Of course if it is the guineas, you can cure the problem by eating the guineas. They are delicious.

Smoked guinea is really good. A little chewy maybe, but well worth the effort!

 

[R2elk]

Smoked guinea is really good. A little chewy maybe, but well worth the effort!

None of mine have ever been chewy. I prefer them stuffed and roasted but you can make any chicken dishes with guineas.

 

[mkeawsh]

I've never thought about guinea meat. Will have some nice fresh baked chicken once in a while. Hmmmm... I'll have to consider that. How old is too old for guinea? Chickens about 16 - 18 weeks. Turkeys I assume are younger?

 

[R2elk]

I've never thought about guinea meat. Will have some nice fresh baked chicken once in a while. Hmmmm... I'll have to consider that. How old is too old for guinea? Chickens about 16 - 18 weeks. Turkeys I assume are younger?

I like a guinea at mature size but would eat them at any age. The older ones would make fantastic guinea noodle soup.

Broad breasted turkeys anywhere from 4 to 6 months or they can get too big. Heritage turkeys start at about 9 months and up. I processed one heritage tom that was 3 1/2 years old and the neighbor raved about how good it was.

 

[Phisch]

Well, to be honest the other possible culprits besides the hens could be of if the three cockerels we have that also like to annoy the “broody” hen. If it weren’t for that wanna-be-a-mama’s loud complaints, Id never have known about the birds camping at the nesting boxes.

while we may one day consider butchering one day, we still have high hopes that these birds will keep lots of bugs away. The chickens have been phenomenal at eating scorpions but there are lots of other bugs out here so we’d like to try and keep them around. On the other hand, the cockerels would go once they’re ready.

 

[Henry&Friends]

Well, to be honest the other possible culprits besides the hens could be of if the three cockerels we have that also like to annoy the “broody” hen. If it weren’t for that wanna-be-a-mama’s loud complaints, Id never have known about the birds camping at the nesting boxes.

while we may one day consider butchering one day, we still have high hopes that these birds will keep lots of bugs away. The chickens have been phenomenal at eating scorpions but there are lots of other bugs out here so we’d like to try and keep them around. On the other hand, the cockerels would go once they’re ready.

my guineas were supposed to eat ticks and keep them off my cats... instead the guineas stuff up on bread and chicken feed while my cats bring in roughly a tick a day.

 

[mkeawsh]

My guineas aren't allowed anything but free-ranging and when they wander into the chicken house every once in a while. They are always out doing their pestilence duty. I have two dogs and four cats. It is very rare if they or we have a tick or flea on them or us and we live in the middle of many acres of woods in a hollow. I don't give my guineas treats very often - a throwing down of millet occasionally. They do their job very well.