Starting a flock

Westy1 · **Joined:** Tue Feb 04, 2014 4:49 pm **Posts:** 10

Hi,

I am a new member of APF and am hoping to pick your brains.

I have 2 girls that are now about 14 months old that were raised from Keets. I acquired a boy about September last year. He was alleged to be about 5 years old and was the last of someone else's small flock after a nasty fox attack. The 3 free range on my 40 acre property and nest in a tree above the chook run. The girls even lay their eggs in one of my chook nesting boxes.

Trouble is that they have layed in excess of 120 eggs since last September and, after brooding on batches of 35-40 eggs at a time for the mandatory 4 weeks, not one egg has been fertile. Does this mean that the boy is past his use by date or could there be other issues.

Furthermore I acquired another pair of mature birds, (3 years old), only a few weeks ago. They are presently free ranging also but have not been interacting with the other 3 as yet. Should I just give the lot of them more time to assimilate or is there something I can do to ignite a bit of romance.

Thank you in anticipation.

Westy1

CinnGuinea · **Posted:** Wed Feb 05, 2014 1:54 pm

Westy

With only 1 male to 2 females you should expect low fertility as it should be the other way around 2 males per 1 female or even 3 to 1. Also the new male has not settled yet it takes a few months to get them relaxed. 5 years is not old for guineas I have a few that are 8-10 years old and breed like 2 year olds. As for the new mature birds 3 years olds they will eventually group up but allow 12 months AT LEAST.

icon_welcome2

to wacky guinea fowl

Westy1 · **Joined:** Tue Feb 04, 2014 4:49 pm **Posts:** 10

Thank you so much.

Ironically my farrier only this evening advised that he has a guinea fowl roaming around his acreage. Again the last one standing after a fox attack. He has no idea as to it's sex but I can swap it for a kid goat. It attacks and mounts the big Light Sussex rooster I recently gave him so I am hoping that it is an oversexed male otherwise it also is going to be carrying some baggage when I get it.

Maybe I am Just expecting too much too quick.

bimguinea · **Posted:** Wed Feb 05, 2014 7:35 pm

Westy its hard to wait we all get impatient but the eggs and keet will flow soon enough

Roundyard · **Posted:** Mon Feb 10, 2014 4:37 pm

They should be flowing by now

Matt_Hunter · **Joined:** Wed Jan 15, 2014 5:35 pm **Posts:** 37

Eggs yet Westy? conf665

Westy1 · **Joined:** Tue Feb 04, 2014 4:49 pm **Posts:** 10

I have 2 girls tag teaming on about 20 eggs in a chook nesting box but I am not confident that the eggs are fertile. Due to hatch in about 12 days so time will tell.

Matt_Hunter · **Joined:** Wed Jan 15, 2014 5:35 pm **Posts:** 37

Thats great woohoo4

guineafowl · **Posted:** Fri Feb 21, 2014 9:18 am

Westy1 wrote:

I have 2 girls tag teaming on about 20 eggs in a chook nesting box but I am not confident that the eggs are fertile. Due to hatch in about 12 days so time will tell.

that is good news woohoo4

no long to go!

Westy1 · **Joined:** Tue Feb 04, 2014 4:49 pm **Posts:** 10

Off topic but to save starting a new one, I recently acquired a breeding pair and after about 6 weeks the male has become quite aggressive in that he comes up to me, stops about 1 metre short and starts throwing sticks and stones in the air. He then circles me like Indians around a Wagon Train. I did put the foot out once and he struck at it. He is also chasing the chooks and turkeys.

I chase him off with a bamboo stick but he just comes back inya face again.

The female GF has only just started laying eggs. So is he being protective and dominant and bound to settle down out of breeding season or is he just a all round naughty boy.

How do I get to smoke a peace pipe with him?

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