Second season pearl guineas nesting

[judyc]

I found another nest, right near the barn they were raised in. It's in a tall clump of grasses. I didn't want to disturb it but was worried about rain. Hubby took an old glass patio door and four concrete blocks and put over the nest. The guineas accepted it. Yesterday, I noticed a guinea on the nest and one just outside. I came by later in the afternoon and there were two outlayer eggs. I collected those and left the main nest untouched. That makes another 15 for the incubator.

 

[TexasTurkeyMama]

Today I found a pipper underneath the broody orpington. Exciting to see!

 

[TexasTurkeyMama]

Today I found a pipper underneath the broody orpington. Exciting to see!

 

[SamLockwood]

Is this my life for the next thirty days? Why can't these birds do the decent thing and start a nest of eggs in the nice coop we built for them?

Getting them to use nesting boxes requires a mixture of trickery and luck. This year has been the longest I've been able to have them use the nesting boxes: they started in April and it's June and they're all still using the nesting boxes.

They seem to prefer the coop that's got the double-size nesting boxes, which I only had because the carpenter I hired to build it misunderstood my directions on them. I'm not sure if it's the unusual nesting box size or the fact it's the coop they were initially raised in (which they've pretty much claimed as their own).

Even then, I've got to sort of socially-engineer them by leaving fake eggs in the coop for them. I'll also raid the outside nests I don't want them to use (if the local critters don't first).

The males actually scout out and then guard the entrance to a nest while the females lay. When they're inspecting a nest (or re-inspecting one they've returned to), the males will make this low whistling sound if they approve, and a sound like your ears ringing if they don't. One way to find a hidden nest is look for the male standing watch. The females also have a really weird "egg-laying song" which is a really mournful-sounding sort of yodeling. Some people mistake it for a sound of distress or pain.

Even when they do use the nesting boxes, it's a got difficulties. You have to be careful about disturbing them while they're laying as they'll either bolt and stop using the nesting box or they'll attack you. Beware a guinea that's starting at you intently with its head cocked.

In my mixed flock the guineas seem content to let the chickens brood over the eggs in the nesting boxes, but they have a habit of pecking or trampling new hatchlings when they come in to lay.

They'll also guard "their" nesting boxes over-night, which means if you're late collecting eggs you're going to be greeted by an angry guinea-hen.

One year I had a guinea hen take issue with egg collecting in general. She'd start stalking me the minute I started walking towards a coop giving. When I'd start to unlatch the nesting box door she'd rush up the ramp to the coop and by the time I had the door open she'd be at the opening of the nesting box, wings fanned out, head low, and hissing like a little dragon.

If I was stupid enough to stick my hand in, she'd scream and peck or kick, and the screaming would start the rest of the guineas barking.

The rest of that summer I had to make sure the back-yard was clear before egg collecting.

Overall, they're not at all like chickens when it comes to egg-collecting, which tend to be largely indifferent unless they're broody. I've even had one chicken make me follow her at dusk to make sure I found the egg she'd left on the porch. The only way I could see a guinea hen doing that would be she could shiv me with her beak while I bent over to collect the egg.