What do we do???? Update...

Twin Mom

In the Brooder
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Okay guinea went broody Wed. so we put her in a dog crate with a tarp over it on the front porch. She has rammed the front of the crate several times, and knocked over all food and water. We decided to open the crate ~ an hour ago to see what she would do. She calmly came out and walked around the porch then walked down the stairs and went back to the original nest. That is where she now sits on 14 eggs that have been laid there. The problem is she is a white guinea on a nest that is not well protected. Any advice on what to do with her? Would like to keep her in the crate, but don't want her to harm herself with the ramming. Would it be better to cover all sides with the tarp? Please help don't want to lose her to the coyotes!!
 
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Guineas aren't like chickens.. they usually won't stay broody if you move the Hen and the clutch (as you just experienced). You will need to destroy the nest she went back to, to stop any Hens from laying any more eggs there and to stop her from trying to brood anything there. Take the eggs, scuff up the nest, put a large rock or log in it etc. She will likely choose a new spot to lay within a few days. If she were my Hen, I would not risk leaving her on a nest outdoors, but that's up to you. IMO, outdoor brooding Hens are just predator bait, with eggs as desert.

If she's been sitting on those eggs you moved and they've already started developing, they are most likely already dead from being cold. (You could cook them for your dogs, or hard boil them crumble them and feed them back to your flock (shell and all) if you don't want them to completely go to waste). If you really want keets out of that White Hen, her and her mate would need to be locked in a secure coop and/or run situation until she lays a new pile of fertile eggs inside and goes broody on them (and refuses to get off of them). If you let her out, she'll just continue to lay eggs outside, starting the vicious circle all over again.

If you try the coop/run idea and it works out, you can then try building an enclosed area around her where she is, safe inside, after she's gone broody. This would mainly be to keep other Hens from laying more eggs in her nest that won't hatch at the same time the rest of her eggs will, plus the keets will be protected from other Guineas when they are first hatched (sometimes other Guineas, and even the father will kill the keets for whatever reason). Personally I'd collect the keets after they have hatched and raise them in a warm brooder, Guineas aren't always very good moms. She will fight you when it comes time to collect the keets, so be ready for her to go Tasmanian Guinea Devil on you
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This is just what I'd do if she were my Hen... but best of luck with whatever you choose to do!
 
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When i find a group setting together somewhere i put a portable dog kennel around them and hang a portable radio on the kennel and set it on a talk station.
Early in the morning i open the pen so they can go in and out in the daytime.

I have also set up a small dome tent by nest that i can not get a pen around , placeing a battery operated light and radio on talk station inside.
Ps i live out in the country were the critters are not use to people being around unlike the critters that may live in a populated area so i think that is why it works here pluse i have a pack of dogs that will go after anything that causes a disturbance with the birds here.
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There's a video on youtube of a white hen attacking the man collecting her keets......just as described above. Here's the link
 
LOL! That guy is glutton for punishment!
But yah, see how they get! MEAN!
I'd have been carrying a broom, and after one lunge at me that Hen woulda been in the next county, lol.
I've held a Hen back with a manure fork before to collect keets a few times, worked good, but boy did she try to get me.
Its always a good idea to have a helper... one to grab keets, one to hold the Hen back, lol.
 
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I envy your setup Zaz, Guinea Heaven, and safe as can be
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Love the pack of dogs too
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If only we could all have such perfection for our flocks!
 
We had one with a nest in the middle of the vegetable garden. We put a hot wire on all sides about two feet from the nest. It worked great. When one nested next to the garage we angled a board against the garage and covered the ends at night. That worked too. I've done the dog cage thing where I picked up the whole nest with a shovel trying not to disturb much and let them out during the day. It worked for our chicken but the guineas are hit and miss. One of ours will go crazy if she's locked in and just destroy everything in the cage.
 
Put the dog crate over the guinea on the nest she has chosen or make a bigger cage in the same design to put over her so nothing can get her.
 
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My son got the bright idea to try and 'catch' a baby guinea a few years back....mom and dad guinea both went for his head
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To this day he gives any guinea parents ample space when they are in the yard with their babies
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Ok I have never raised keets with a Guinea hen. So I am wondering. Is it possible to net the hen before getting the keets? Or is it too dangerous for the keets.
 

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