When should female Guinea Fowl start laying eggs?

[SilkieChicken123]

Hi all!

So I have some guinea fowl that hatched on May 24th. They ended up all being females, which was a blessing. I've owned Guineas for a few years but I've never had females- only males. So I'm super happy to have these.
But my question is- when should they start laying eggs? They're practically full grown.

Thanks!!
@Texasclucker

 

[R2elk]

Hi all!

So I have some guinea fowl that hatched on May 24th. They ended up all being females, which was a blessing. I've owned Guineas for a few years but I've never had females- only males. So I'm super happy to have these.
But my question is- when should they start laying eggs? They're practically full grown.

Thanks!!

Unless you are in the southern states, guineas hatched in the northern hemisphere usually start laying eggs the spring after the year they were hatched. In the southern states they may have a brief laying period in the fall before stopping for the winter and then starting again in the spring. Adding supplemental lighting can affect when they atart and stop laying.

 

[SilkieChicken123]

Unless you are in the southern states, guineas hatched in the northern hemisphere usually start laying eggs the spring after the year they were hatched. In the southern states they may have a brief laying period in the fall before stopping for the winter and then starting again in the spring. Adding supplemental lighting can affect when they atart and stop laying.

Okay. Thank you. I got a really teeney, tiny egg yesterday (from the coop they live in) and thought it may've been one of them that had started laying.
I'm in TN.

 

[R2elk]

Okay. Thank you. I got a really teeney, tiny egg yesterday (from the coop they live in) and thought it may've been one of them that had started laying.
I'm in TN.

In Tennessee it is possible for you to get some guinea eggs this fall especially if you are giving them supplemental light.

 

[SilkieChicken123]

In Tennessee it is possible for you to get some guinea eggs this fall especially if you are giving them supplemental light.

No I'm not giving them supplement light.

I'm starting to think it was one of them that laid the egg, but I'm not sure.

 

[R2elk]

No I'm not giving them supplement light.

I'm starting to think it was one of them that laid the egg, but I'm not sure.

If it is a guinea egg, it will be broad on one end and pointed on the other. It will not be oval like chicken eggs. Guinea eggs are more pointy than are chicken eggs.

 

[Sydney65]

@R2elk along the same vein, when do they resume egg laying after a hatch? Not that there wld be anything in them,but the keets are almost 5 wks old so I want to make sure I'm not overlooking a problem.

 

[R2elk]

@R2elk along the same vein, when do they resume egg laying after a hatch? Not that there wld be anything in them,but the keets are almost 5 wks old so I want to make sure I'm not overlooking a problem.

I don't have that issue here because I never let my hens hatch any. If they raise the keets themselves, they may not lay again until next spring.

I go through the same with my turkeys. When I let a hen raise poults she does not normally lay again until the next spring.

But each bird is its own individual and may react differently. I had one turkey hen that started laying again one week after her poults hatched. She eventually abandoned her poults to a different hen.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

@R2elk along the same vein, when do they resume egg laying after a hatch? Not that there wld be anything in them,but the keets are almost 5 wks old so I want to make sure I'm not overlooking a problem.

My guinea hens seem to be on a similar schedule to my chicken hens, and think about nesting again at about 6-8 weeks after a hatch. However; it think our nesting season is winding down. Mine are still laying, but the flock is starting to reform as a large group instead of pairs and trios that stick to themselves. I doubt that Welch will lay again this year since I expect I’ll get no more eggs after a month or so…

 

[Sydney65]

My guinea hens seem to be on a similar schedule to my chicken hens, and think about nesting again at about 6-8 weeks after a hatch. However; it think our nesting season is winding down. Mine are still laying, but the flock is starting to reform as a large group instead of pairs and trios that stick to themselves. I doubt that Welch will lay again this year since I expect I’ll get no more eggs after a month or so…

That was what I was thinking but since they lay eggs instead of giving birth I wasn't sure. Despite the difference, afterwards she was really run down when I took her back to the coop she walked like an old lady, had wt weight loss and her face was-- faded? Not the pretty white. Add to the trauma to the flock, I think she needs the break. But at the same time didn't want to overlook something being wrong