Hatching notes summer 2022

[Sydney65]

At 10 miles to the gallon, people can come to me.

Yeah but you probably don't stew over the possibility of strangers showing up aswe do. ..& I probably should worry more.

 

[R2elk]

Yeah but you probably don't stew over the possibility of strangers showing up as we do. ..& I probably should worry more.

Anyone stranger than me would have more to fear from me than I would need to fear them.

Worrying is not good. Be prepared, don't worry. Worry is bad for your stress levels.

 

[Sydney65]

Anyone stranger than me would have more to fear from me than I would need to fear them.

Worrying is not good. Be prepared, don't worry. Worry is bad for your stress levels.

3 dogs,10 guineas, I kind of doubt anyone is going to show up unannounced - and that doesn't account for the neighbor always telling Himself what vehicle was in my drive while he was at work.

 

[R2elk]

3 dogs,10 guineas, I kind of doubt anyone is going to show up unannounced - and that doesn't account for the neighbor always telling Himself what vehicle was in my drive while he was at work.

I have a "neighbor" that got 16 guineas from me last year. The last I knew she was down to 6. Three hens successfully sat and hatched on their hidden nests. Only 2 keets survived her own dogs.

Her husband is currently building a separate coop for the guineas.

 

[Sydney65]

I have a "neighbor" that got 16 guineas from me last year. The last I knew she was down to 6. Three hens successfully sat and hatched on their hidden nests. Only 2 keets survived her own dogs.

Her husband is currently building a separate coop for the guineas.

1 hides, 2 herds, 3 mothers. 2 did despise Bella II back in the day, though,

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

View attachment 3280145
1 hides, 2 herds, 3 mothers. 2 did despise Bella II back in the day, though,

Awww! Cute little shelties! Our pups. The beagle is a pro at chasing the guineas so they fly over the fence and out of the dog yard. The chihuahua is blind and deaf and mostly out of the picture. The Doberman is my baby, and she is so contrite AFTER she ignores me and tries to eat the Guinea that flew into the dog yard.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Update now that keets are 8-9 weeks old! Keets have now been fully integrated for 1 week. I started by letting them out of their brooder box into the coop with only the adults that seemed calm and interested around them. Razorback was their biggest fan, but my most dominant cock, Bullet, with his mate Scout Orange, were also great with them.

I had done “look don’t touch” plus select play dates for about 2-3 weeks before letting them all out to free range together. The keets do try to stick together, but they don’t follow the adults well. That’s the major difference that I see between these and my Guinea hen brooded keets, and it makes sense since they didn’t have a hen to follow and learn from. The first day that I let them out, the whole confusion wandered over to a patch of prairie and were spooked by something. All of the adults flushed and flew back to the coop, but I found the keets just standing there. So I’m trying to go slow with free ranging, since our bobcat may still be around and it’s hawk migration season. Plus avian influenza has reared its ugly head again and been found in our county.

After one week of integration, the flock has fully accepted the keets and treats them just as they do hen integrated keets. Bullet has mostly taken over as their Number 1 guardian and is so patient. Razorback hangs out as much as he can, but has to constantly supplicate to Bullet so he can hang around.

 

[Sydney65]

Update now that keets are 8-9 weeks old! Keets have now been fully integrated for 1 week. I started by letting them out of their brooder box into the coop with only the adults that seemed calm and interested around them. Razorback was their biggest fan, but my most dominant cock, Bullet, with his mate Scout Orange, were also great with them.

I had done “look don’t touch” plus select play dates for about 2-3 weeks before letting them all out to free range together. The keets do try to stick together, but they don’t follow the adults well. That’s the major difference that I see between these and my Guinea hen brooded keets, and it makes sense since they didn’t have a hen to follow and learn from. The first day that I let them out, the whole confusion wandered over to a patch of prairie and were spooked by something. All of the adults flushed and flew back to the coop, but I found the keets just standing there. So I’m trying to go slow with free ranging, since our bobcat may still be around and it’s hawk migration season. Plus avian influenza has reared its ugly head again and been found in our county.

After one week of integration, the flock has fully accepted the keets and treats them just as they do hen integrated keets. Bullet has mostly taken over as their Number 1 guardian and is so patient. Razorback hangs out as much as he can, but has to constantly supplicate to Bullet so he can hang around.

Babies!!!! Sad to hear abt AI. I had hoped it would wash utself out to sea once it got to Ca., but I hear it's rising up again w/migration.
I haven't experienced the failure to follow the flock's lead as you discribe. Willow still WON'T. Mochie joins in now.
I should know by now, but is the first one a violet or pastel or -? I hadto go back and look at pics of mine when they 1st got here-ccan't remember the little twirps being so little.
I have them in time out tonight, separated. 5 inside with pop door closed, 2 in sunroom w/door closed, and 3 locked in the run. It's easy when you have one bully, but don't know what else to do with a gang of hoodlums.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Babies!!!! Sad to hear abt AI. I had hoped it would wash utself out to sea once it got to Ca., but I hear it's rising up again w/migration.
I haven't experienced the failure to follow the flock's lead as you discribe. Willow still WON'T. Mochie joins in now.
I should know by now, but is the first one a violet or pastel or -? I hadto go back and look at pics of mine when they 1st got here-ccan't remember the little twirps being so little.
I have them in time out tonight, separated. 5 inside with pop door closed, 2 in sunroom w/door closed, and 3 locked in the run. It's easy when you have one bully, but don't know what else to do with a gang of hoodlums.

Yeah, HPAI is so frustrating, and I’m guessing that it’s on its way to becoming endemic. As I understand it, recognizing it as endemic would affect our ability to export poultry meat. Yes, it’s migrating water fowl that are most often diagnosed with it and probably the species spreading it to poultry flocks. We had a flock affected in Tulsa where all of the chickens died before they could euthanize them.

The big guy by himself next to the brooder is Razorback. He’s a violet in molt, so he has a mix of sun bleached, clay stained feathers and his new pretty violet feathers.

As for your bulky woes - wow! Have they split into three separate groups? What a major PIA!!! Who is bullying whom?