Will Guineas make a good chicken mama?

[doodledoo]

My young guinea has gone broody but I don't think that her eggs are fertile (we found one in the yard a few weeks ago and I stuck it in the incubator and it did not develop) so I was wondering if I could get ahold of some fertile chicken eggs would the guinea mother the babies or would I just be wasting my time (and eggs if I find some)? I have some in my incubator now but I hate to risk it on those eggs.

 

[pixiechick]

I have never known of a good mother guinea though I suppose they must exist somewhere. I've had them succesfully hatch their eggs, but they've never managed to raise a single keet into adulthood because they drag them all over the place and let the male guinea peck them. A broody hen is a much better mother.

 

[doodledoo]

Thanks - I just hate to have her sit for nothing - anyway to break a broody guinea?

 

[shelleyd2008]

Just take her eggs away, she'll probably never lay eggs in the same spot again.

Guineas don't make a good anything mama. You could have her hatch eggs for you, but you would need to take the babies away once they hatch.

 

[Klorinth]

How do they survive in the wild????

I have heard all of you say the same thing about them being horrible parents. But, I have seen them in Africa running around with a swarm of little ones attacking everything in sight. They were in the village, and in the countryside. The people in the village sure didn't do anything to help them. They collected the eggs for an omelet once in a while but that was it.

Makes me wonder.

 

[MissPrissy]

Wild guineas in Africa have nothing in commom with a domesticated (as best as possible) guinea over here. Guineas were brought here and not turned out to breed and live in the wild. The same as with domestic ducks, geese, chickens and other fowl most of the natural instincts have been bred out of them.

Comparing a wild african guinea to a domestic guinea is like comparing a wild red jungle fowl to a blue orpington hen. The 2 don't jive. They don't cope and live under the same circumstances.


doodledo - break up her nest. If she is laying take the eggs and use them like chickens eggs. If you let her sit she will stop laying. For a mature guinea the laying season is May - Oct.

 

[Klorinth]

LOL Another successful intervention by people. We are so good at making things better then they already are. LOL