What should I do about my birds and their eggs?

[malinois]

Ok, so the short version of my story goes like this.
MY guineas are 9 months old now. I have 6 hens, and 1 male. We live in SW PA, so it was a pretty terrible hard winter here-the birds were in the coop for about 2 months straight (January & Feb). During that time I got about 1 egg every other week? So, now Spring is just coming, and the birds are backout to free ranging about two weeks now, and all have pretty consistently been laying eggs--but unfortunately they are laying them EVERYWHERE. Not only that, as near as I can tell, they lay the eggs around 5pm, or at least very late in the afternoon.


Also the 7 birds have divided up when they are out free range, into 2 groups of 4, and 3. Will that change?

ANYWAYS>>>

I am not interested (at this time anyways) in collecting the eggs to incubate.
I am interested in collecting the eggs to 1) eat, 2) keep the predators away.
I got the Guineas to help control the tick population, so keeping them in the coop (for any more long periods of time) isn't going to help that issue. I will do it if someone tells me it will help, but for how long?

One hen is laying her egg in the coop. I have been collecting that egg daily. I have found several others all over the place, and these birds range a fairly large area, including across the road, and lots of wooded areas, so its rather tough to find them.

Today I kept them all in the coop. I had someone check them at 12, and again at 2 pm. No eggs. At 6 pm when I went up there were 5 eggs in a corner of the coop. The sun sets here around 7:30 pm so I didn't bother to let them out for an hour and a half. I also left all 5 eggs in the corner of the coop.? ? ?

Am I asking too much of my hens? If they would lay in the coop for me by like 10 am, I could let them out and we could all be happy. I have done a good bit of reading here, and I understand that the hens may lay a bunch of eggs in the woods and then decide to sit on them...becoming dinner for some fox most likely. I would like to avoid that scenario also.

Anyways, if anyone can tell me what to do....leave the eggs in the coop, keep them in until 5 pm? golf balls, or whatever, I would really appreciate hearing from you.

Thanks so very much

 

[red horse ranch]

Ok, so the short version of my story goes like this.
MY guineas are 9 months old now. I have 6 hens, and 1 male. We live in SW PA, so it was a pretty terrible hard winter here-the birds were in the coop for about 2 months straight (January & Feb). During that time I got about 1 egg every other week? So, now Spring is just coming, and the birds are backout to free ranging about two weeks now, and all have pretty consistently been laying eggs--but unfortunately they are laying them EVERYWHERE. Not only that, as near as I can tell, they lay the eggs around 5pm, or at least very late in the afternoon.


Also the 7 birds have divided up when they are out free range, into 2 groups of 4, and 3. Will that change?

ANYWAYS>>>

I am not interested (at this time anyways) in collecting the eggs to incubate.
I am interested in collecting the eggs to 1) eat, 2) keep the predators away.
I got the Guineas to help control the tick population, so keeping them in the coop (for any more long periods of time) isn't going to help that issue. I will do it if someone tells me it will help, but for how long?

One hen is laying her egg in the coop. I have been collecting that egg daily. I have found several others all over the place, and these birds range a fairly large area, including across the road, and lots of wooded areas, so its rather tough to find them.

Today I kept them all in the coop. I had someone check them at 12, and again at 2 pm. No eggs. At 6 pm when I went up there were 5 eggs in a corner of the coop. The sun sets here around 7:30 pm so I didn't bother to let them out for an hour and a half. I also left all 5 eggs in the corner of the coop.? ? ?

Am I asking too much of my hens? If they would lay in the coop for me by like 10 am, I could let them out and we could all be happy. I have done a good bit of reading here, and I understand that the hens may lay a bunch of eggs in the woods and then decide to sit on them...becoming dinner for some fox most likely. I would like to avoid that scenario also.

Anyways, if anyone can tell me what to do....leave the eggs in the coop, keep them in until 5 pm? golf balls, or whatever, I would really appreciate hearing from you.

Thanks so very much

I usually mark the first eggs that I find from the guineas and leave them in the nest. Then each day I will only take out the unmarked eggs to eat. Which is fine if you can FIND the nest!

 

[malinois]

How can I get these birds to lay their eggs earlier in the day? 5 pm is pretty consistent for them.

 

[Odelia]

How can I get these birds to lay their eggs earlier in the day? 5 pm is pretty consistent for them.

I don't think you can change what time they lay. Can you lure them back to the coop with a special treat? If so I would try letting them out first thing in the morning and locking them back in the coop at about 4 pm.

 

[malinois]

I can try that....they haven't quite grasped the "come when called for treats" idea....they think its way more fun to just wander around and eat grass/bugs etc. but its worth a shot.
I was even kicking around the idea of a light in the coop to 'change their clocks'....any ideas anyone?

 

[PeckPeckChick]

A hen will lay her eggs where she thinks is safest for them and where they have a chance to survive. Wooden eggs, golf balls, or Easter eggs are great
Because when looking for a place to lay her eggs she will come across an egg in the nest box and think " well if another bird laid her egg here then
It must be safe" . That's how the fake eggs work. If you use them put one in each nest box.

 

[malinois]

Sorry for all the questions, but do Guineas usually use nesting boxes? mine seem to avoid them, the eggs they did lay in the coop were on the floor in the corner.....

 

[red horse ranch]

Sorry for all the questions, but do Guineas usually use nesting boxes? mine seem to avoid them, the eggs they did lay in the coop were on the floor in the corner.....

I only have one of my nine females that will lay in a nest. Guineas like hidden spots like under thick bushes and boards leaning against the wall. I have over 20 acres of pasture with a lot of thick sagebrush areas. I've already started walking the pasture every day looking for hidden nests. I've made all kinds of hidden nests around the barn and henhouse. I also use dog kennels with hay inside. Sometimes they'll use them but more often they will find their own hidden spots.
You could try leaning some boards against the wall in the corner they like. Just be sure to attach the boards in some way so they don't fall on the hen.

 

[Hotcookie]

Mine use their nest boxes (inside the coop) all the time. Last year, I had females successfully hatch 3 separate batches of eggs, and raise them inside the coop by themselves. I didn't let the baby keets out of the coop until they were older - I was afraid they would catch pneumonia outside. If you see any eggs laying on the coop floor, place them inside one of the nest boxes. I think maybe if you laid all the eggs together in one box, rather than scattering them in different ones, your females might get the hint and start laying there, too.