Surprise Keets

[Deen R]

I keeps a few Guineas and chickens to keep hive beetles and wax moth populations down around my beehives. I have an older hen and 2 younger birds that I thought were hens as well. I found a nest in the high weeds that I leave in my pasture so the chickens can get away from gnats and generally shade themselves in summer. I didn't think I had a rooster but after a couple dozen eggs accumulated the old hen started setting. Well yesterday I noticed 2 keets running around and the old hen was loosing her mind trying to coral them. I moved an Dogloo dog house (looks like an igloo with good ventilation) down near the nest with some bedding and moved the eggs and keets inside. She jumped in and arranged everything so I put a small feeder and water in with her and put a screen half way up the entrance so she can come and go and the keets are trapped. Today I have 8 keets and she is still setting and defending when I put my hand in to fill the water. It did look like she was trying to lure them outside this morning though. I've always heard they are bad mothers so what can I expect after all the eggs hatch that are going to hatch? I'm in southwestern Indiana so lows are in the 80's and highs in the 90's right now.

 

[R2elk]

Guinea hens can be good mothers if you confine them and their keets in a safe, dry area.

 

[red horse ranch]

Guinea hens can be vicious when defending their eggs or keets! When the keets are a day or two old she will want to take them out to free range. That's where she will lose them. They won't be able to keep up with her. It sounds like you have done the right thing by confining the keets, but after another day or two you will have to remove the eggs that haven't hatched. You might have to put a bird net or something over her when she is out of the nest so that you can remove the unhatched eggs. If you try to remove the eggs with her inside she will likely trample some of the keets.

 

[Deen R]

Well I let everybody out yesterday to stretch their legs. She immediately took them across the yard to the beehives for dust baths and bugs lol. I removed the eggs after they were gone. Of course when it was time to roost she chose a different spot instead of the straw lined house I provided. No rain in forecast so I let her win last night. I’ll go out and net the keets today and get them back in the dog/Guinea house.