30 Keets Born On 8/6/13 And This Is Our Story

[bestgear]

Some not so good news - when moving the keets from the covered run to the coop yesterday they rushed the door to the run and we had 2 escapees. It took about 5 hours but we successfully captured one of them but the other spent the night outside the coop in 40 degree weather. We heard his call early this morning and saw him lying in the grass near the coop but when we approached him he flew away again. Anybody have any ideas about how to lure him back to the run and safety?

 

[bestgear]

GOOD NEWS UPDATE - all are safe and accounted for - the last keet was found on our front porch pacing back-and-forth. We successfully netted him and when put back in the coop he immediately went for both the food and water.

Here's what we learned:

• they didn't wander more than 100 feet from the coop when they were captured
• they fly MUCH farther and faster at 6 weeks old than we would have ever thought
• our Border Collie needs to be inside when we are working with the birds with an open coop door
• they can survive ouside overnight in 40 degree weather
• listening for their "help I'm all alone" call directed us to where he was

I hope that nobody ever has to go through what we've experienced the past 20-hours but if you do maybe our lessons-learned will help. Thanks for reading our story.

 

[perchie.girl]

I had one get loose when I was transferring them from brooder to travel cage. At six weeks old I found out that Guineas can fly on the roof of the house and stare down at you while screaming for their buds. LOL. Only way we caught him was to set the cage on the ground and let him come back for his brothers and sisters. Then I was able to drop a net on him.

Catch nets are our friends. That and herding tools like lengths of white pvc and purposefully built corners of no escape for using Catch nets. And dogs no matter how well trained are NO help with Guineas.... Sigh.

Glad everything turned out well.... 40 degrees.... Wow. Already? Your avatar and info below dont show where you are located...

deb

 

[Susiederkins]

I have babies too. I was not as careful with them (climate is forgiving here) so I put them in a temporary run outside. I want to let them be free but when do I do that? They have no wattles...they still look like babies (they were born 7/3/13) ....they did get out and flocked...I caught them and put them back in their yurt,,,they want "out"

 

[bestgear]

I'm assuming that you want them back in their yurt each evening. That being the case have you been working with them to come to a call like "here guineas...guineas...guineas" or ringing a bell and them rewarding them with a treat like white millet? From everything that I've read they need a reminder to return to the coop and the call or bell along with a treat reinforces that behavior. We have been "training" our guineas since week 3 and when our keets escaped this week we tried ringing the bell and making the white millet available but I can't say for sure if it worked although the keets did stay close to home and the millet was eaten.

I would ask yourself what is the likelihood that the keets will return each evening to roost and if you have low confidence, I would change something to increase your confidence that they will return. I think the earliest I will test free-range for my guineas will be around week 12 (end of October) and only if I think the "training" is successful otherwise I'm waiting. I've also read that only releasing a portion of the flock for a small amount of time initially increases your chances of the guineas returning and that over time you can release more and more to free-range for greater periods of time.

No matter how confident you are that they will return I think its going to be a calculated best-guess. I keep reminding myself that guineas are not domesticated chickens but rather wild game birds that probably would prefer not to have a roof over their heads every night. I suspect a portion of my flock will be on free-range and never return but we've planned for that but we are like you, we want our babies home every night and safe and sound in their coop.

Best of luck, Tom

 

[Susiederkins]

they have cardboard boxes in their yurt now, I would like to build them something better...maybe its ok??? I will attach a pic so you can help me decide...

there is no where for them to roost, but as you said, I want them to stay home....

 

[perchie.girl]

they have cardboard boxes in their yurt now, I would like to build them something better...maybe its ok??? I will attach a pic so you can help me decide...

there is no where for them to roost, but as you said, I want them to stay home....

Oh my you need to build them a safe enclosure.... I know what you have is temporary but it is completely vulnerable to predators. Even if its just a lawn shed or Packing crate... I have seen old swing sets make excellent predator safe enclosures. Enclosed enough to provide protection from your climate. Hardware cloth to keep predators out.

While your guineas are in their "Coop" they need roosts. Even at six weeks they can fly a good six feet up but having roosts up at the four foot level worked for me.

BTW when they still dont have their Wattles or Casque their heads are still striped..... I call them Bacon heads. LOL..... While they are still bacon heads I would keep them in complete control. Especially without an adult flock to keep watch over them.

deb

 

[Susiederkins]

Actually predation isn't problem and the yurt is very strong. The base is 2 layers of rabbit wire and the mesh to cover the whole thing. We put in a cabinet thing for them last night...they are a little suspicious. I LOVE LOVE the name bacon head. It completely describes them! One of them is starting to make more grown up noises so that makes me happy.
I have read that they are quite hardy little guys, should I provide a source of heat for them when we get the big area covered for them?

 

[Susiederkins]

I forgot to mention they play "keep away". It is so funny. They start out in rugby type scrum then one of them gets the straw/leaf/target and runs and they all chase...so cute