Yes!! Found her nest, now can I move her and the eggs???

[ksj0225]

So I know they aren't suppose to be good moms and she is young and this is her first clutch. I knew she had eggs as she only comes out to eat and drink and then disappears again. I finally found her hiding spot. My husband wants to move her and her eggs into one of our coops so that her and her eggs and "if" they hatch her babies will be safe and she can't leave them. Can we do that? I have no clue how old the eggs are or how many there are b/c I just found it this afternoon after I tracked her back and of course I found her sitting on the eggs. LOL

Suggestions...

 

[PeepsCA]

Most likely she will abandon the eggs if you move them to the coop. Guineas are not like broody chickens, if a Guinea Hen feels her nest is not private enough or it has been disturbed at all... they typically give up on the eggs and nest, in a heartbeat.

I think I'd try candling a few of the eggs (if you can snag a few while she is off the nest), to see how far developed they are, and then decide what to do from there; try risking moving the eggs to the coop or to put them in an incubator and hatch them yourself.

IMO... it's too late in the year for keets to be raised outside tho, they will have a hard time with the cold temps for the first 6-8 weeks of life, IF they even hatch at all. If you value the Hen, then take the eggs, destroy the nest and chase her back to the coop. And like I said, decide if you want to incubate the eggs or not, and brood the keets until fully feathered, then deal with integrating them into your existing flock (which doesn't always go so well).

Whatever you decide to do... Good luck with it!

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Growing up, the one nest you did not want to disturb was the guineas. If she was broody she would whip you for what seemed like days and if not broody and she saw u near her nest she would abandon it. Oh and not very good moms sometimes.