Why are the guineas laying?

[MuranoFarms]

It's been probably 2 months since I got any guinea eggs. I only have 1 mature layer now due to a mysterious 'drop dead' of the other. After I broke her last broody, she seemed to quit for the year....I was fine with that. I'd had enough of the 'find the nest game' for this year! Temps are cold her in PA....today it' snowing! Anyway, I don't think it's Polly, she hides her nests.....but 2 days ago I found a small guinea egg on the bottom of the coop. Yesterday there were 2. I have several girls hatched this spring....may/june. Technically they are old enough to lay now, but its freezing out!

If these are my new layers, I'm super tempted to hatch them because it would be from my only lavender and I would love to have more for summer laying season. However it may be those unfertilized eggs they somehow know to lay in plain site. I'm very confused by this whole thing!

Any idea what's going on?

 

[bigdawg]

never heard of them laying in winter. are you sure its a guinea egg. i know dumb question but i had to ask. l.o.l.

 

[MuranoFarms]

Looks like it to me! Take a look, tell me what you think.
I know I have a silkie that just started laying.....those 2 are on the left in the middle row. A full grown silkies egg is at the top. Ignore the colors....I took this with my cell phone. The arcauna egg is actually blue! lol Blue and brown are standard hen sized eggs...just for size reference.
Anyway, the ones I thought were guinea eggs are on the right. The others could be either guinea or silkie I suppose, but some just feel like guinea eggs. I also don't think I have that many silkie girls that should be starting now. I have 3 in that age group, but I thought only 1 was a girl....

Edited to add: The wind blew the coop door shut today so they laid their eggs in the dirt while I was at the dr's....my nest boxes aren't that messy!

 

[robin416]

Its their age. Winter is happening just as their bodies started to produce eggs. Once their bodies figure out its Winter they'll quit until late Winter early Spring.

Normally you would find these first eggs out in the open, in the middle of the side walk or out on the lawn.

Yes, those are Guinea eggs. You didn't need to label the others to recognize the Guinea eggs.

 

[speckledhen]

My guineas started laying in December of their first year, so yep, those are guinea eggs and it's that they just reached the age to lay like Robin said.

 

[Pidgey104]

You can send them to me

 

[bigdawg]

wow. i didnt know a guinea would lay in the winter. the proof is in the picture. mine are not getting out tommorow until after 3. just curious if mine are laying. i have seen alot of chasing but no breeding going on yet. mine are 8 months old +

 

[MuranoFarms]

Just a quick update......I stuck them in the incubator and at least 3 are developing!

 

[bigdawg]

good luck on hatching. i cant wait for mine to start laying......

 

[MuranoFarms]

Winter Guinea baby!