Guinea Nest

Do you remember a few days ago I posted about when I went to go check my wild asparagus patch, and I saw a lone guinea out in my back yard? 

A few of you guinea experts commented how that was odd, a lone guinea.  Guineas always travel in flocks.

How true you all are!!!

...Unless that guinea has a mate.

...With a nest full of eggs.

Then the guinea boy will stand nearby while his mate lays her egg or sits on the nest. 

And so I went to go check out what was going on beside the fence where the guinea was standing guard.  Let's see what's behind all this tall grass...

Yes, there it is!  The guinea nest!!!

I have 3 female guineas and 5 male guineas.  The females always lay their eggs in the same nest. 

After they feel they have enough eggs they will sit on them, and that's when it's dangerous, because the female guinea will sit out all night on the ground.  And foxes and raccoons and other night monsters may find her.  Guineas are blind in the dark. 

So far, my guinea girls don't think they have enough eggs in this nest, because they aren't sitting yet.

There were 32 eggs.

 

I collected 26 eggs.  Sorry girls, I don't want you to sit.

I left 6 eggs to encourage the guinea hens to continue to use this nest.  Maybe they will not notice they have 26 less eggs?

If they continue to use this nest maybe I can continue to collect their eggs.  But usually once I touch their eggs they move their nest.

You know what I'm doing with these guinea eggs, don't you? 

My last attempt at hatching guinea eggs was a major failure, so I've got to try again!

Isn't it pretty?

I filled in the extra spots in the egg incubator with chicken eggs, so I have a full incubator going.  The chicken eggs will hatch before the guinea eggs, but that's ok, I'll deal with that in 3 weeks!

Keep your fingers crossed for me this time!