[Spana]

 I had a little broody banty sitting on top of a pile of plastic bags. I cant understand this love for plastic but lots of our hens seem to choose it as a nest site.  Anyway, yesterday while she was off i improved the nest with some upturned damp turf  and against my better judgment have put 4 Guinea Fowl eggs under her tonight.
 I love Guineas but they give me such grief trying to keep them safe but its done now and I'm looking forward to some little keets in 26-28 days time.
Does anyone clip their Guineas wings?  I dont really like the idea as they are such wonderful fliers but it might become necessary and would save me a lot of worry as they are not the best at going in at night.

[joyfull]

I clipped Brians wing as he kept flying over the beck to next doors but always forgot how to fly back  . The row he used to make at 4 in the morning was horrible. After that he could still fly but not so far - enough to get him onto the gate to sleep. Sadly Brian turned out to be too aggressive and kept attacking us and anybody else who visited drawing blood frequently so now he is going to have the deed done. I still have another adult and 3 keets who are better behaved 

[Spana]

Flying away, making a racket at 4 am,  aggressive, got the heading of my post right didn't I

[joyfull]

too right 
Well Grannie Annies Brian did the deed to Brian the guinea, then his plucking machine wouldn't grip the feathers so bless him he had to hand pluck them all one at a time. Now I thought I would get a lovely juicy sized breast going by the shape of a guinea fowl but I couldn't be more wrong. Brian the now plucked gf resembles one of those rubber chicken things according to Grannie Annie - at least as far as size goes. Brian was supposed to be mine and Jim's next Sunday dinner looks like I will have to do pigs in blankets and absolutely loads of veggies to accompany him  .

[joyfull]

here is an article that explains about pinioning and wing clipping - not everybody agrees with doing either but the only problem is the same as faces chickens in that their flight is restricted although my guines could still get in the trees 

http://www.guineafowl.com/fritsfarm/guineas/wings/

[Spana]

I dont think I'm a whimp but pretty sure i couldn't do the pimioning to them or to any bird come to that.  
If i get any hatch they will have to take their chance.  Just hope i dont get one on its own. Wonder if I should put a few hens eggs under as well when the guinea eggs have cooked for a week.

The little bant is sitting tight on her pile of plastic



Think it may be the same hen that hatched 2 chicks on a feed bag  in the back of OH pick-up earlier in the year
So a little improvment on her earlier nest

[joyfull]

at hatch they are about the same size but keets do grow very quickly. I will bring my camera home from work tomorrow and take a photo to show you  . I decided against the pinioning but clipping one wing is very common in the breeding season otherwise they will go off - we have a village near us where they have left their home and have gone wild to live in the farmland. It is only the same as clipping a chickens wing 

[LittleRedHen]

I remember seeing an episode of All Creatures Great and Small, when Siegfried bought Guinea fowls for Tristan to take care of.   It was wonderful comic relief, but I imagine that it is not so comical when it is happening in real life.  Good luck with the clipping!