Where to look for nesting guinea?

[1MrsMagoo]

Okay, so I HOPE

that my hen, who stopped laying eggs in the coop about two weeks ago has gone broody and is nesting somewhere. She did not return to the coop with the two males on Sunday night.

I have walked the woods and checked, focusing mainly on areas that are not too far from water (been very dry here up until the day she left) and places they went everyday. I focused on brush piles, etc....does anyone have any suggestions from your experience with them? I haven't seen one trace of her...not so much as a feather or heard a single "buckwheat" since Sunday.

I was hoping to find her to put my mind at ease. See the day she disappeared I was working in my garden and heard a couple gunshots from my less-than-nice neighbor's property: He does not like us or many or the other neighbors and doesn't speak to any of us. I know he keeps several guns and have seen him use them to shoot snakes. By the time I made it from my garden to where I could see his place, their was nobody in the yard. My guineas have never actually gone onto his property, but have walked along his fence on our semi-private gravel road and stood in his driveway before (they have 7 acres here and prefer to go the opposite direction to the 50 acre horse farm next door where they are welcome).
I wouldn't have automatically suspected that he did something to her except that, both the roos have been acting weird since she went MIA: They do not stray very far from the coop and have not ranged their regular pattern since that day. The last time that happened the leader, Hoppy, accidentally landed in the dog yard early last year and got himself chewed pretty good before I rescued him (he acquired a permanent limp from the incident and hence the name). Since then they also stay very well clear of dogs, which usually includes the neighbors fenceline since he has several boxers roaming his property.
So, that brings me back to searching my 7 acres and my nice elderly neighbors couple of acres as well: The horse farm has no trees or cover of any kind. All-in-all I'd say I have about 15 acres to cover...some of it densely wooded. I have tall rubber boots, a long sleeve shirt, bug spray, and a hat and keep going out and looking for nearly an hour at a time: Till it gets too hot and humid and I need a break. So, having specific areas or targets would be helpful. Otherwise, I'll just have to wait till after July 10th to see if she ever returns. If she doesn't I'll never know for sure whether it was a four-legged or two legged predator that got her. Let me tell you it will be hard to not return his childish single-fingered wave as he drives past...grrr...

 

[wren]

Mine liked to nest in knee high grass. The thicker the better. hope you find her!

 

[PeepsCA]

If you have a male that you know was her mate, follow him (from a distance) when you let him out, he may lead you to her. My males usually stand watch, or lay quietly near their Hens, but leave them and come home to roost at night.

I also have had success calling my birds for treats a couple different times during the day and watching which direction they all come from, and which direction they all head off to after the treats are eaten up.

Hope you find her!

 

[Okie Amazon]

My males have been very good at staying near the sitting hens. In one case, the nest was in a brush pile, and the other was in thick cane. The males usually were no more than a few feet away.

 

[melroseladi]

My hen was in a pen sitting on her nest but I never heard her buck-wheat the entire time she was sitting. She was peeping even more softly then normal and when I would go close to her and the nest she would do a soft growl.

 

[kyle7630]

^^^ What they said. I just did this for my second time. A couple days ago, I noticed my hen gone and didn't see the males anywhere. I waited them out and the 3 males eventualy showed up Sunday afternoon. I followed them from about 15 yards and there she was, sitting on 22 eggs. Several weeks ago, same thing. Just watched out for them till I saw where they were hanging out. That time I actually saw her come out and followed her right to her nest. Good luck!

 

[PeepsCA]

OH OH OHHHHHHH!!!! Kyle does that mean you just reloaded your incubator again???? Hope so!!!!!!

 

[1MrsMagoo]

Thanks folks....I shadowed the males early this morning: They stayed close to the house and didn't stray too far as usual. They walked all along the fenceline and stopped periodically to call out to her: They are in the goat paddock right now. We have limited water on our property, so I am going to focus on the areas that have access to running water with high grass and brush piles.
Yes, she is mated to Hoppy, my French guinea but he is here all day. Since she's been missing our pearl rooster Chi-chi, who usually hangs out on the back porch with our cat (???), has been with Hoppy at all times: They even sleep together. The whole thing is nerve wracking.
Well, at least all her eggs till she stopped laying them where I could find them have been fertile. I already hatched out three keets in my incubator and have two more due in 2 weeks. Hopefully, some of these will be hens. I need to sneek a couple keets from other sources in with mine (to avoid husband detection...

...he's still sore about the 5 runner ducklings I hatched a couple weeks ago...

...lol) to diversify the bloodlines.

 

[kyle7630]

Quote:
I sure did lol! Thing is though, I had a BO and a JG hen go broody the same day. I'm really thinking about loading them up with these eggs. I have let them raise chicks before and they are great moms. I worry about the keets diets though. Not sure if momas will get the keets enough protien to help them grow right. I'm on the fence about it, but I'm laid up with a cast for a bit, and turning these eggs is starting to be a pain in the foot...literaly!

 

[perchie.girl]

Hope you find her....