Loaves and Fishes (or Guineas and Ducks)
I’ve been keeping a keen eye on the guinea fowl trying to figure out where they’re laying their eggs. They don’t like to lay in the coop, preferring to find a secluded spot in the brush somewhere, generally somewhere completely inconvenient and perfect for predators to get them.
I had a chicken that was laying eggs in a pile of pine boughs that came down during the big ice storm this past winter. Two days ago I found 2 guinea eggs in the nest. The next day there were 9 guinea eggs in the nest, yesterday there were 18 eggs in the nest. We also had a hen that hatched out 15 keets that we brooded ourselves, these are members of our current flock. With 7-9 guinea hens laying eggs, this nest will fill up very quickly. I’ll collect some of the eggs but leave most of them hoping to have them sit on this nest which I can keep an eye on. Guinea eggs are delicious, the yolks are very big so I’ll probable use them to make custard or ice cream.
Last fall we had a guinea hatch out a few keets, though none of them made it. Guineas are notoriously bad mothers. I’m planning on letting nature take it’s course with these, though I have lots of people interested in purchasing keets so I might try to steal some to sell. I also have four muscovy hens sitting on nests right now. These birds are multiplying to Biblical proportions – never a dull moment around here!
What’s the craziest kind of egg you have eaten?
