6 week old keets fighting - please help!

[Keets n chicks]

We are having a major aggression problem with our keets. A few days ago we originally had our six keets with our six chicks all in the same pen and two keets started going at it. Hitting each other's faces with their beaks, grabbing and holding on to each other's beaks, etc. They drew blood so we separated them. We put one aggressor in a separate cage (large dog crate) and put another keet with him so he wouldn't be alone. Those two have coexisted fine by themselves the past few days. We separated both pens so that they couldn't see each other (otherwise they start calling to each other and get really loud).

For a few days that seemed to take care of things. In the larger pen things all seemed fine and they quieted down a lot (softly chirping as they peck around, etc). We thought they were happier without the instigator and would have a little bit more space (the pen is 7 ft by 2.5 ft).

However, today, two keets started fighting again. We think one of the fighters was the keet that was originally fighting, but we are not sure because it is hard to tell them apart. We are unsure if this is just their natural pecking order fighting as they try to set up their hierarchy. We took out one of the keets and put him in the tank we had as our brooder when they were small (he is injured and looked worse than the keet he was fighting with). We then put in one of our ISA brown chicks (same age - about 6 weeks) in with him so he would stop freaking out about being separated from the flock.

Is this just their pecking order bs? Would more space fix the issue? We thought about letting them fight it out but we did not want anyone to get killed, or any innocent keets or chicks to get caught in the crossfire. We also thought about putting the two original fighters in their own pen to fight it out but we do not want anybody to get killed. We want to move them outside asap, as soon as the coop is finished (they are inside right now).

We were already anticipating having trouble reintroducing the two birds we had separated once we let them outside (we tried to introduce them once already and they just went back to fighting, so we were thinking about having a mesh/chickenwire wall to separate the outdoor run into two sections so that they could be introduced slowly). But if this continues we are going to have trouble separating multiple groups of birds.

We do not know what to do and any help is greatly appreciated. We are also concerned about the transition to their outdoor coop at this point because we suspect the fighting will continue and we will not be on top of them 24/7 like we are at the moment.

We are at our wits' end and are seriously considering rehoming some of the birds, especially the one we think is the bully (unsure of how this will work though because we cannot send them off separately, and from I read even pairs are discouraged - and we have only 6 birds to begin with).

Anyway, thank you for reading this overly long post and any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[R2elk]

We are having a major aggression problem with our keets. A few days ago we originally had our six keets with our six chicks all in the same pen and two keets started going at it. Hitting each other's faces with their beaks, grabbing and holding on to each other's beaks, etc. They drew blood so we separated them. We put one aggressor in a separate cage (large dog crate) and put another keet with him so he wouldn't be alone. Those two have coexisted fine by themselves the past few days. We separated both pens so that they couldn't see each other (otherwise they start calling to each other and get really loud).

For a few days that seemed to take care of things. In the larger pen things all seemed fine and they quieted down a lot (softly chirping as they peck around, etc). We thought they were happier without the instigator and would have a little bit more space (the pen is 7 ft by 2.5 ft).

However, today, two keets started fighting again. We think one of the fighters was the keet that was originally fighting, but we are not sure because it is hard to tell them apart. We are unsure if this is just their natural pecking order fighting as they try to set up their hierarchy. We took out one of the keets and put him in the tank we had as our brooder when they were small (he is injured and looked worse than the keet he was fighting with). We then put in one of our ISA brown chicks (same age - about 6 weeks) in with him so he would stop freaking out about being separated from the flock.

Is this just their pecking order bs? Would more space fix the issue? We thought about letting them fight it out but we did not want anyone to get killed, or any innocent keets or chicks to get caught in the crossfire. We also thought about putting the two original fighters in their own pen to fight it out but we do not want anybody to get killed. We want to move them outside asap, as soon as the coop is finished (they are inside right now).

We were already anticipating having trouble reintroducing the two birds we had separated once we let them outside (we tried to introduce them once already and they just went back to fighting, so we were thinking about having a mesh/chickenwire wall to separate the outdoor run into two sections so that they could be introduced slowly). But if this continues we are going to have trouble separating multiple groups of birds.

We do not know what to do and any help is greatly appreciated. We are also concerned about the transition to their outdoor coop at this point because we suspect the fighting will continue and we will not be on top of them 24/7 like we are at the moment.

We are at our wits' end and are seriously considering rehoming some of the birds, especially the one we think is the bully (unsure of how this will work though because we cannot send them off separately, and from I read even pairs are discouraged - and we have only 6 birds to begin with).

Anyway, thank you for reading this overly long post and any help is greatly appreciated.

At 6 weeks it is pecking order and will not end until the dominance is settled. A bigger space with hiding places can be helpful. The more you interfere, the longer it will take them to settle their differences. When it is between two evenly matched opponents, it can seem to go on forever with brief interludes of semi peace.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

At 6 weeks it is pecking order and will not end until the dominance is settled. A bigger space with hiding places can be helpful. The more you interfere, the longer it will take them to settle their differences. When it is between two evenly matched opponents, it can seem to go on forever with brief interludes of semi peace.

When we brooded keets, chicks, and ducks together, 8 weeks old is when the keets started attacking the other poultry. We ended up having to separate the guineas from other birds, and I rehomed the most aggressive half of that original flock because they were so insistent about going after our chickens and ducks. Last year, we brooded a dozen keets together (we don’t raise with other poultry anymore, and now the newer guineas just ignore our other poultry) and at about six weeks, some of them really started battling it out, with scabs etc. I just let them work it out, because I was afraid that intervening would just mean that they had to start over again. After about two weeks, they had their pecking order worked out and they’ve gotten along quite well together since then. The males are now adults and will sometimes have a big prolonged chasing battle, but that generally ends with some kind of understanding. Good luck with your keets and chicks!

 

[Keets n chicks]

At 6 weeks it is pecking order and will not end until the dominance is settled. A bigger space with hiding places can be helpful. The more you interfere, the longer it will take them to settle their differences. When it is between two evenly matched opponents, it can seem to go on forever with brief interludes of semi peace.

Thank you for your response!

What about when they injure each other and draw blood? Will they be ok? We just want to prevent any instances of cannibalism, because they are with chickens.

Also, how would you go about making hiding places? Do you have any pics you could show us of hiding places you have put in your coop? We were thinking of adding a tunnel so that the birds don't get cornered into a spot.

Thank you!

 

[R2elk]

Thank you for your response!

What about when they injure each other and draw blood? Will they be ok? We just want to prevent any instances of cannibalism, because they are with chickens.

Also, how would you go about making hiding places? Do you have any pics you could show us of hiding places you have put in your coop? We were thinking of adding a tunnel so that the birds don't get cornered into a spot.

Thank you!

They are pretty resilient. The fight wounds should be confined to the head neck area which makes them better able to protect themselves from blood seekers. It can look ugly until they heal.

Personally, I would separate them from the chickens. When their first breeding season happens, the chickens will not understand what the guineas are doing and can become very stressed.

Hiding places can be as simple as a board leaned against a wall. Short tunnels can work, an empty box with multiple holes cut in it to serve as entries and exits can work. Placing objects randomly on the floor can make it more difficult to be caught by serving as interference.

 

[BrandoMan]

My Keets are doing the same thing the OP posted about except no blood. Mine are headbutting and holding onto each others beaks. They dont do it all day long just sometimes during the day. I guess they will figure it out. The yound roo just lays down and watches them. lol