Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2008 8:36:10 GMT -5
So we were in a hurry this morning to get out to milk and Carole found one of the guineas pacing back and forth at our fence. This was apparently guinea #13 that we thought was gone. Turns out on our property but just on the other side of the wire fence she had a nest. Carole heard peeping as she got closer to the guinea. She got the mom to fly over the low fence into our field and then the babies who had to have been just recently born as they were dry but still wobbly on their feet. She got most of them thru the fence and then Mom started running and unfortunately the smallest guys weren't keeping up. We decided that they were too young to be run like that and in our wet cooler grass so Carole got a bucket and gathered them all up all the time ducking when the hen flew at her head. She got them all in the bucket and the mom followed her. I took care of them keeping them warm in the bucket and talking to them to keep them from peeping quite so loudly as the mom was losing it. Carole let all the birds out (guineas, turkeys and chickens) and then they all come over and start going nuts. So she got them a place in our guinea house for them to be safe where they couldn't get out but the mom(s) could get inside and tend to them. The mom didn't come in right away so she went looking for the light to put on them as they were shivering from being wet in the grass. By the time she got the light, two guineas had jumped in and were sitting on them. They are in a dark corner hidden in the house and are very content. She got them food and water and left them. So we have 18 new babies. What a shock. Here we are ready to close up shop for the season (in Maine things pretty much close on Columbus Day (Monday)) and we get a new batch of babies. We have a friend that lost her few so we will be giving her a few once they are a little older and can go to a new home easily. I can't get any pics because the moms are totally covering them. They were so fun to hold and talk to in the bucket for those few minutes. So soft. Just like miniature easter chicks but with stripes.
Janet
Janet