Merging New Keets With Older Keets

[MTerry]

My first batch (four), are now 10 weeks old. They are in the coop with a covered fenced area to go out in during the day. My second batch (seven) are 2 weeks old, they are in a large box in my house. The first batch have been in the coop for four weeks, they still have two weeks till I let them loose. I want to put the newbies in the coop maybe by next week and I'm just wondering what is the best way to do it. I guess I should try and close off half of the coop for the new babies, but I hate to keep them in the hot coop all day. Do guineas of different ages fight? I'm afraid if I put the new babies in the coop while the older ones are in the fenced area, the olders will never come back in the coop. I know how scared of everything they are. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Darkjeweler]

When the older ones are in the enclosed area, just dump the yyounger ones in there with them. They will all probably freak out for a little while and there might be a little pecking order dispute here and there, but it should all work out in short order and everything should be fine. Guines are pretty good about getting along with their own kind. They seem to be a lot better at it than chickens are. If you are worried about the little ones, just watch them for a while and make sure the picking is to a minimum, then leave them alone.

I am about to release a few 4 week olds into the aviary where there are ducks and chickens during the day and then the guineas come in at night. They will get chased around for the first day or so, and will find corners to hide in, but in a day or so all the disputes will be (mostly) over and the new guineas will find their place. Once they are old enough, I will let them out during the day to run with the adults. Hopefully, they will take their cues from the adults and learn how not to get eatten.

 

[PeepsCA]

I would not put 2 wk olds in with 10 wk olds, you will end up with a bunch of dead or injured 2 wk olds. IMO that is way too much of an age gap to just dump them all together and let them work it out. The 10 wk olds (especially the males) will already be territorial of their coop and run space, so the younger keets will be considered intruders/outsiders and get picked on. Possibly to the point of being killed. Plus the 2 wk olds should be on high protein medicated starter feed for 4 more weeks and the older keets should be on a grower feed at this point. One more important thing to consider is that the 2 wk olds are not fully feathered until they are 6 wks old and will need a heat source at night until then. I never even attempt to put younger keets in with other older aged keets until the youngest batch is 6 wks old. It's not worth the risk to the younger ones to me.

When integrating, ideally the different ages really should be housed side by side but separated for at least a few wks so they can all get used to each other and until there is no aggression thru the wire, be it in a sectioned off area in the coop and pen, or a cage/crate within the coop (for the younger batch). Point being they need to be able to see each other and get used to each other first, before integrating. If you do not have a decent sized cage/crate or sectioned off area to put the 2 wk olds out in the coop and pen for the next couple of weeks so the 2 ages can all gradually get used to each other, then I'd keep the 2 wk olds in their brooder until the 10 week olds are old enough to free range and then the younger birds can have free run of the coop and pen all day while the older birds are out, and then the younger birds will need to be gathered up and returned to the safety of a cage or brooder each night when the older birds come in.

When I integrate my 6 wk olds after a few weeks of being side by side, I will usually rearrange the entire coop and pen so that the older bunch is thrown off/distracted by all the new changes and not be so prone to focusing on picking on the new batch.

 

[Darkjeweler]

Maybe I have just been lucky, but I have not had much issue adding youngsters in with older guineas. I do normally wait till the keets are about 4 weeks before I toss them outside. This time of year in NC, when it is 100° during the day and 75° at night, I don't much worry about the youngsters needing extra heat, but depending on where you live, PeepsCA is correct about them still requiring a heat source. So far all has worked out ok for me; However, if I do notice that the yougsters are getting picked on, then they get issolated for a little while longer.

 

[MTerry]

Thank you for your help. I'll keep them in the house another week or two, I think we can divide the coop and everyone will have plenty of room for awhile. I just wonder how long the 4 older keets will take to go out of the fenced area when their time comes ; ). I finally used millet after about a week of them not venturing out of the coop, just to get them into the fenced area.

 

[FrenchToast]

I would not put 2 wk olds in with 10 wk olds, you will end up with a bunch of dead or injured 2 wk olds. IMO that is way too much of an age gap to just dump them all together and let them work it out. The 10 wk olds (especially the males) will already be territorial of their coop and run space, so the younger keets will be considered intruders/outsiders and get picked on. Possibly to the point of being killed. Plus the 2 wk olds should be on high protein medicated starter feed for 4 more weeks and the older keets should be on a grower feed at this point. One more important thing to consider is that the 2 wk olds are not fully feathered until they are 6 wks old and will need a heat source at night until then. I never even attempt to put younger keets in with other older aged keets until the youngest batch is 6 wks old. It's not worth the risk to the younger ones to me.

When integrating, ideally the different ages really should be housed side by side but separated for at least a few wks so they can all get used to each other and until there is no aggression thru the wire, be it in a sectioned off area in the coop and pen, or a cage/crate within the coop (for the younger batch). Point being they need to be able to see each other and get used to each other first, before integrating. If you do not have a decent sized cage/crate or sectioned off area to put the 2 wk olds out in the coop and pen for the next couple of weeks so the 2 ages can all gradually get used to each other, then I'd keep the 2 wk olds in their brooder until the 10 week olds are old enough to free range and then the younger birds can have free run of the coop and pen all day while the older birds are out, and then the younger birds will need to be gathered up and returned to the safety of a cage or brooder each night when the older birds come in.

When I integrate my 6 wk olds after a few weeks of being side by side, I will usually rearrange the entire coop and pen so that the older bunch is thrown off/distracted by all the new changes and not be so prone to focusing on picking on the new batch.

Sounds like it would work to me !! Just found 11 keets in the weeds, will have to integrate them to my chickens at 6 weeks. In the mean time I have chicks due to hatch so will raise them with the chicks so they will learn to go in a coop at night !!! lol