Author Topic: Nesting Guinea Fowl - help please (Read 1995 times)

martinwhitley · « **on:** August 08, 2010, 08:22:18 pm »

My free range female guinea fowl has been on her nest for at least four weeks, only coming off for short periods for food and water. In total she has laid around thirty eggs but sadly the nest is continually being robbed by menace unknown. I have hidden the nest as best I can and it is not visible from above. When the nest is empty she stands close by in what seems a distressed way. I have replaced the stolen eggs with other guniea eggs bought from ebay and also fake rubber eggs and she returns to the nest only to have these eggs stolen.

Will she eventually give up sitting on the nest and return to her free range ways with her partner or is there something I should do to now encourage her to give up and return to normal. It is heart breaking to she her in this state and any advice will be very gratefully received.

Thanks
Martin

doganjo · « **Reply #1 on:** August 08, 2010, 08:55:30 pm »

You couldn't get a pen of some sort round her could you? I'm thinking of panels of a puppy pen. I have one that I use to separate my new ex batts from the others - the panels just tie together with tie wraps, and I sometimes use one as a roof.

jameslindsay · « **Reply #2 on:** August 08, 2010, 09:02:29 pm »

I had a broody duck that nested in a bin liner one day as I was cleaning out their hut. I had an old rabbit hutch which I took the floor out of and sat this over her and the bin liner and it worked a treat. Was able to open the door in the morning and let her out if she wanted out for a swim but most importantly she was safe at night.

Cinderhills · « **Reply #3 on:** August 09, 2010, 12:09:02 pm »

One of our guinea fowl has gone to live at the farm next door and laid eggs there. Last year she did the same but came back about a month later. This year she seems to be living there for good leaving the only guinea fowl we have left on her own here. They seem quite wild birds and from my limited experience there's nothing you can do to stop them doing what they want.

martinwhitley · « **Reply #4 on:** August 09, 2010, 08:47:56 pm »

Many thanks for all your advice. Things have moved on quickly. The guinea was attacked last night at around 05:00 but very happily survived with a slight limp and a chunk of feather missing. For most of the day she stayed close to the nest as if not knowing what to do.

At around 17:00 she then came back into the garden and hooked up with her partner and did not return to the nest. They have just flown up to roost together in the oak tree - something she has not done for the last few weeks. It would appear the she may have given up on her nesting duties and returned to normal behaviour - hopefully she will be safe now.

Thanks again
Martin