Will my guineas EVER lay?

[chickens 4 2]

I have about 40 guineas and none are laying. They were in 3 separate pens but we built a 20 x 20 pen that they are all in together now. Pen has a nice roosting place. They get plenty of food and water. There are a few bales of hay around here and there. We put a light on them about 2 months ago. They are plenty old enough to be laying. During the winter some free ranged - we got them all in a pen now so we could be sure to find the eggs............I still can't find them (I'm kind of thinking they not there...they don't exist). Weather here in OK has been nice for a day or so, rainey for a day or so, nice for a day, cool the next. Maybe, it's the weather? Other people who have the same weather are getting eggs. Do they like to lay in certain places - maybe they want more privacy. In the corners back between hay bales, there are a couple of holes dug or wallered out. I wonder if they want more hiding places? Can anyone tell me what they like or what might help?

 

[damselfish]

We've been getting guinea eggs for the first time in the last couple of weeks.

Our guineas were born last July so let's see, thats about 8 months old, give or take. They free range in daytime and have no artificial light.

They have chosen to lay in two places (that I've found!): under the nest boxes inside the chicken coop, and inside their own coop, in a nest box on the ground.

In both cases, they have something over their head, and their favorite outdoor "nest", where I haven't seen any eggs yet, has a ceiling of cedar branches. So my best guess is that you need to give them a little roof over some semiprivate spot, and make sure there's dry bedding of some kind under the roof.

We're new to this, so I'm just guessing here. Good luck!

 

[MissPrissy]

Guineas are seasonal layers. They generally lay from May - October, give or take a week or two. Ours are just now starting the season which is a bit early. We have 2 eggs so far.

In the first year some people do see unseasonal egg laying but it starts and stops and the hens come into line laying seasonally after the first year.

If you are expecting them to lay like chickens - they won't. They lay an egg a day usually but only for a short time during the year. Also their eggs are like a round triangle shape. Some lay larger eggs than others.

 

[chickens 4 2]

Thanks for the input/advice. I will definitely go out today and get them some "semi-private" places. Maybe that's what they need because they basically have nothing directly over them (roof is 6' high). If that doesn't work...maybe they just need more time, warmer weather. Thanks!

 

[jvls1942]

guineas are seasonal layers.. they prefer laying on the ground.. a dark corner with a place to "hide" is their choice.. I have a friend who's guineas jump inside an upright 55 gal barrel to nest..

last year my guineas shared a nest under the chicken nests and layed 140 eggs before I could free up some room in the bator and collected the eggs.. It was funny when I did finally collect the eggs.
I had to remove 1 turkey, a chicken and 2 guineas from that pile of eggs.. I got bit by each one of them and twice from some..

talk about a string hatch.. I had eggs hatching every day for a couple of weeks...

thankfully my guineas have not started to lay yet, this season.
I have 5 bators running with goose, duck and chicken eggs..
close to 300 eggs...

 

[chickens 4 2]

Great, thanks! I put a few things out there awhile ago for them to get in and/or under. I'll work on more later - hopefully it will warm up a little more and that danged ol wind will die down.
Sure keeps ya busy hatching out all those eggs, huh? I've been out cleaning out the chicks boxes - probably close to 400 chicks and more hatching right now.
I appreciate your help.