When do they go broody?

[Wimomof2]

I have a flock of 15, i think 3 of them are female. Maybe 4. They arent quite a year old yet. They have been laying for several weeks now. My husband wanted to leave the eggs in the coop in the hopes that when there was enough one of them would sit on them. They havent. They all lay in the same spot. 3 a day. One day i think we got 4. So there are now 24 eggs in a pile. Should i just toss them? Will they sit on eggs in the coop where the others roost? Are they to young yet to go broody? Thanks for any help!

 

[redranger209]

What breeds are they?

 

[redranger209]

And you have to rehome all but one roo. Maybe not even one left. And if they’re almost a year, they should have been laying for 6 months.

 

[sawilliams]

If they are broody breeds they will start when they are ready. Place a few fake eggs and collect eggs untill a broody it ready. If hot really have 15 and most are roosters please reslove that at least seperate all but 1 from the hens. They will fight and coil kill each other or stress the hens with repetitive mating. Even 1 roo with 4 hens is to low he needs 10-15 hens

 

[R2elk]

And you have to rehome all but one roo. Maybe not even one left. And if they’re almost a year, they should have been laying for 6 months.

The OP is talking about guineas. Guineas do best when there are enough cocks and hens for them to pair up. When there are an excess of guinea cocks, they do not behave like chicken roosters. The excess cocks normally form a bachelor group that assists the entire flock.

 

[R2elk]

I have a flock of 15, i think 3 of them are female. Maybe 4. They aren't quite a year old yet. They have been laying for several weeks now. My husband wanted to leave the eggs in the coop in the hopes that when there was enough one of them would sit on them. They haven't. They all lay in the same spot. 3 a day. One day i think we got 4. So there are now 24 eggs in a pile. Should i just toss them? Will they sit on eggs in the coop where the others roost? Are they to young yet to go broody? Thanks for any help!

Guineas tend to lay huge clutches before a hen goes broody. Sharing a communal nest is very common among guineas.

Twenty-four eggs is not a huge clutch to guineas. Since they have only been laying for several weeks it may be too soon to expect any of them to go broody yet. Not all guineas will go broody but most will when they are ready.

If you want a guinea hen to go broody, don't mess with the nest. It is great that the nest is in the coop so I would just leave it alone. Another option is to collect the eggs and put them in an incubator.

 

[Wimomof2]

I live in Northwest WI, so they layed for about 2 wks before winter came. They are a mix of jumbos, lavenders, and bronze and i think blue.
Ok, so we will leave it and wait and see! I just hate the thought of wasting all those eggs if they dont sit on them. Plus my chickens arent laying yet! I need eggs!! Lol

 

[Wimomof2]

I am looking into an incubator, just cant afford one right now.

 

[red horse ranch]

I live in Northwest WI, so they layed for about 2 wks before winter came. They are a mix of jumbos, lavenders, and bronze and i think blue.
Ok, so we will leave it and wait and see! I just hate the thought of wasting all those eggs if they dont sit on them. Plus my chickens arent laying yet! I need eggs!! Lol

I often mark the older eggs and if I'm not wanting babies I will take the fresh eggs as they lay them. They taste the same as chicken eggs but it usually takes two guinea eggs to equal on large chicken egg.
My guinea hens have been laying for close to a month and only one of them has gone broody so far. She has been on eggs for a week now.

 

[Wimomof2]

How many does there have to be for them to go broody? I though 20 or so. I am up to 24!