First egg ever

Lou · **Joined:** Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:12 am **Posts:** 387

That would have been a nice suprise for you, did you notice the very triangle shape?. I don't know about fertility from the 1st eggs, I would think they would be fertile seeing all the carry on around here.

Do you have other poultry that you could set the eggs under? Thats how I started to increase numbers before I got an incubator. I had 1 hen & 2 cock birds to start with & the hen was the best mum, I've seen a lot of posts saying they don't make good mums. If you aren't desperate to eat them maybe collect them till the hen has a nest then put them back & see if she goes clucky. :-D

moonshadow_dancer · **Posted:** Fri Sep 12, 2008 11:16 pm

Yikes!!!! Don't put them in the fridge if you want to put them under your hen. Only if you want to eat them.

Lou · **Joined:** Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:12 am **Posts:** 387

Sorry sould have said once in the fridge thats it. I keep my eggs in the pantry, it's nice & cool & doesn't change to much in temperature, there's no need to keep them warm.

If you want to collect & set your eggs you might have to lock up your GFs for a while so they can't lay off cross country. If a hen goes clucky off in the bush somewhere she's fair game for foxes or dogs. I've seen posts of people building pens/covers around them to protect them till they bring out the little ones, but you will have to track her to her nest.

You might have a hen go broody & then again you might finish up with eggs to old to do anything with. I supose it all depends if you want to breed them or not? If you do maybe there is someone up that way that would incubate thr eggs for you for a small fee.

Also once the keets are hatched the other adults are not nice & can kill them easily. But what ever you decide the eggs are good eating :lol:

moonshadow_dancer · **Posted:** Sat Sep 13, 2008 8:23 pm

Hi again,

I know this is probably a long shot, but my GF hen likes to really hide in the bushes, and is very hard to find, they seem to like to be hidden.

Maybe some straw and a lot of branches of som trees to similate a nice hidey hole for her.

perhaps if you can get her to think she is well hidden from view then she may lay her eggs there, otherwise you could sneek them there when she isn't looking :shock:

Apart from that maybe someone else might have some more logical ideas for you :-D

Take Care
Deb

Lou · **Joined:** Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:12 am **Posts:** 387

They will drop eggs anywhere, last season found them all over the pen but the faveroute place was in a 20lt rusty metal drum with no ends in it. I think she thought sticking her backside out she was out of site. I have to move all mine into the breeding pen this afternoon, should be a nightmare

We had a pen doing nothing so have built a big wire covered run off it, about 8 x8 mt with a couple trees & log grass & weeds, I will put all the hens in & some males & leave the rest of the males loose. I have collected about 8 of those drums from up the paddock & have some bales of grass hay to go in as well, so we are off to do that now.

danny boy · **Posted:** Mon Sep 15, 2008 9:47 am

hi boerdr.
Guinea eggs take the same time as a chook egg to hatch. about 21 days.
Temp is the same as a chook egg as well, 99-100f is usually fine.
Eggs usually loose fertility after 5 - 7 days.
Pop them in an incubator if you have one or a clucky chook, guineas dont make the best of mums from experience.
hope this helps.
Wish my silly devils would start laying

Lou · **Joined:** Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:12 am **Posts:** 387

I've got 11 eggs now

danny boy · **Posted:** Wed Sep 17, 2008 9:25 am

well my lazy guineas have finally started laying, 3 eggs so far....
About time.
Maybe leaving the axe leaning by the pen spurred them into action :lol:

Lou · **Joined:** Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:12 am **Posts:** 387

I still haven't got the pen finished, I finished up chasing run away dogs all afternoon, they're in disgrace :evil:

The weather has been nice & warm so everybodys GF's should be laying soon. If you put the eggs in the fridge I think they would last about a month, I'm not really sure. Maybe look for someone to incubate a couple doz eggs for you then you can let them out to free range again & still have an increase in numbers. There may be a poultry club up that way that could put you in touch with someone that could incubate the eggs for you. They are great on the bugs, I'm down to about 32 GF's so I will be letting out the cock birds that get picked on to free range

Isn't incubation 28 days or have I lost the plot (sleep deprevation) :lol:

Like the axe threat

Lou · **Joined:** Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:12 am **Posts:** 387

Sounds like it's all go at your place, we have 86 acres & I have had upt to 38 GF's. I started with 3 give aways in 06 & finished up with about 5 live keets from my first season, it was a real learning kerb. They are so dumb & small, I lost them in the almost flat water dish & ducking out through the small wire.

Last season I started with 1 hen & the others where males, of course if the fox or wedgetail gets 1 it's always a hen :evil:

She layed like a trooper & she went clucky & was the best mother she even let the buff orpington hen lay with her.

I picked up some eggs from a fellow at Gatton that had been set for 24 hours, the dogs next door killed the hen & all but 1 of his GF's. I bought a couple of lavenders & got a doz eggs from Danny Doofas (21 days :roll:

) so I have 5 different bloodlines

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