Guinea Mysteries

We used to have 3 guinea fowl - 2 hens and one male.  Then the male flew away in February of this year, and he was gone for for 3 months, leaving us with 2 hens.  We figured he died, but miraculously, he came back in May. 
Just like that. 
Just like he had never left, one day he was back, trying to pretend he was always here and we just didn't notice.   

In the end of March the 2 guinea hens starting laying eggs ~ they were 5 months old at the time. 

Then on April 19, 2010, less than a month after they started laying, both guinea hens stopped laying eggs.  They both just stopped, cold turkey.  No more guinea eggs. Done.

The hens were not broody, they never made a nest.  We looked everywhere.

Then in May when the male returned, one of the 2 guinea hens disappeared.  We figured she had to go do her 3 month sabbatical by herself in the woods like the male guinea fowl did. 
Either that, or a fox got her.

Now, yesterday, the 1 remaining guinea hen laid an egg again.  It was a tiny egg, barely an egg, only .2 oz.  Here it is with the chicken eggs we collected yesterday.

And today she laid another.  It's a normal size egg.  It's the teardrop-shaped egg right in the front of these chicken eggs.

 

Guineas just aren't the same as chickens.  They do things their way.