Will the hens ever sit on these eggs?

[Triple T]

I have 5 guineas, 3 males and 2 females, that are a year old. On March 20, 2010 I found 2 eggs in the enclosed run they live in. The hutch I kept them in last year when I first got them is in the run. The eggs are under the hutch. There are more than 16 eggs now but I have no idea how many there are total. I can see 16 without getting so close that the hens get defensive. I know some of them are buried in the dirt. The other eggs are scattered all around under the hutch - not in a group like I thought would be if they were nesting. The 2 hens are under the hutch alot pecking at the ground (eating bugs?) but not sitting on the eggs. At night they sleep on top of the hutch, not on the eggs or on the roost. We have more chicken eggs than we can ever eat so we sell or give them away and I want more guineas so I wanted to let them hatch the eggs for keets.
This is my first time to have guineas so I do not know thier usual behaviors.

Hopefully someone can answer some of my questions.

Will they ever sit these eggs or did I waste alot of eggs thinking they would hatch them?
Will they uncover the buried eggs?
Should I continue to wait or should I clean out and throw away the eggs? I just do not want to wait until the eggs rot and explode in the pen.

Thank you in advance for any answers or even good guesses.

 

[Friend2Fowl]

They usually have a large nest when they set the eggs, I would say at least 20 eggs, if not more. I think it's a bit early for them to set, mine didn't start setting last year until early May.

 

[Triple T]

Thank you for such a rapid response. Will the eggs in there now still be good to hatch in another month? Our day time temperatures here in Phoenix, AZ will be at or above 100 degrees by then and the nights will be 15 to 20 degrees cooler. It was a high of 89 today and is currently 79. We are suppose to have a low of about 56 in the morning. We get hot early and just keep getting hotter until Halloween.

But the winters are wonderful.

 

[Friend2Fowl]

Eggs are usually 'good' for about 10-14 days, after that they lose their 'hatchability' pretty rapidly. If you don't have an incubator, you can always sell them. Guinea eggs are selling pretty well on ebay, I've sold a few sets on there so far

 

[MuranoFarms]

Quote:
I might hatch some keets and try craigslist. It seems to me every time someone posts some, they are gone quickly. I've been responding to ads trying to get different colors and I always get the 'sorry, they're already gone' message! lol

If you do take some from the nest, don't take them all! If they notice you taking them, or they all disappear they will lay somewhere else. Which isn't a problem if they're penned. If they free range though....quite frankly the "find the nest' game stinks! lol

 

[Friend2Fowl]

Quote:
I might hatch some keets and try craigslist. It seems to me every time someone posts some, they are gone quickly. I've been responding to ads trying to get different colors and I always get the 'sorry, they're already gone' message! lol

If you do take some from the nest, don't take them all! If they notice you taking them, or they all disappear they will lay somewhere else. Which isn't a problem if they're penned. If they free range though....quite frankly the "find the nest' game stinks! lol

I agree, especially since they seem to like hiding in the nastiest briar patch they can find! The 'get the eggs out of the nest game' isn't very fun either

 

[Triple T]

Thank both of you for the information. I guess I will continue to wait.

Not sure I have any other options right now.
My guineas are penned as we only have two acres and the neighbors will not appreciate their wonderlust habits, so where they lay eggs is VERY limited and me taking any of the eggs without them noticing is absolutely impossible. If they do not decide to sit the eggs at all I will just have to wait till they do go broody and sit some. I have 3 brooders of baby chicks so getting baby keets other than with the hens doing it is not an option at this time.

 

[tofuranch]

I see that you are from AZ..I live in North Az and have guineas

I haven't had any hens that wanted to finish setting on the nests...but I have great luck in hatching them out. Mine are starting to lay well and the batch in the incubator is growing well.

I wish you better luck than I have with them..I don't think that guinea hens make very good mothers at all