4 wk olds

[ssgreer1]

I just got some 4 wk old keets. I am wondering if its too late to try & make them more tame. And since they weren't babies, do you think they will still stick around when I turn them loose to free range?

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

I just got some 4 wk old keets. I am wondering if its too late to try & make them more tame. And since they weren't babies, do you think they will still stick around when I turn them loose to free range?

I really don't think it is worth the effort for you or the stress for them to try and tame them. But that is just my 2 cents. My guineas are always a bit wild. They will come running for food or treats but they don't seem to want to socialize with me.

They need to be older before you let them free range, of course, but they should stay fairly close to home. Now if you had bought adults and tried to turn them loose they would have no sense of "home" and would just take off.

Good luck. Guineas are wonderful creatures and incredibly entertaining!

 

[Canieldonrad]

I had guineas years ago, and handled them everyday to get them used to people. There is no tame but there is comfortable, and that is close enough. I bought them when they were about 6-7 weeks old and handled them every time I fed/watered. We also kept them in Exhibit cages.

 

[ssgreer1]

I was thinking another month before I start letting a couple out to free range. Do y'all think that's about right? I kept my chickens locked in coop for a few weeks before I let them out & they go right back in at night. But I was told the guineas would be fine roosting outside as long as they had a bit of tree cover. You can hardly see the sky through the trees here.
Also, as soon as we got them home, 1 little guy slipped out. Do you think he will stay close since his "siblings" are still right there?

 

[JLeigh]

8 weeks is a bit too young. Twelve weeks is about as young as you'd want them to be before you let them free-range. They're better able to keep up with the flock and away from predators - they're especially easy prey for hawks in my area (Southeast). I'd wait if I were you, but that's my opinion. It seems like forever, but they'll be thoroughly programmed for "home" when you do let them out, so you're killing two birds with one stone (pardon the pun).

 

[ssgreer1]

8 weeks is a bit too young. Twelve weeks is about as young as you'd want them to be before you let them free-range. They're better able to keep up with the flock and away from predators - they're especially easy prey for hawks in my area (Southeast).  I'd wait if I were you, but that's my opinion. It seems like forever, but they'll be thoroughly programmed for "home" when you do let them out, so you're killing two birds with one stone (pardon the pun).

 

Lol ok. That makes sense.

 

[JanO]

8 weeks is a bit too young. Twelve weeks is about as young as you'd want them to be before you let them free-range. They're better able to keep up with the flock and away from predators - they're especially easy prey for hawks in my area (Southeast). I'd wait if I were you, but that's my opinion. It seems like forever, but they'll be thoroughly programmed for "home" when you do let them out, so you're killing two birds with one stone (pardon the pun).

Oh heck, that just destroyed my hatching schedule. I've got 6 keets in the brooder cage, with 7 chicks, all about 3 weeks old. I was going to start letting them out of the brooder, that's in the coop, at 8 weeks and have another batch hatched and ready to go in shortly after. I'm not so sure that they will still fit at 12 weeks either. (I don't have a run, just a huge coop that all the chickens can come and go as they please) However, I guess I can move them to the barn if necessary.

 

[JLeigh]

JanO, Some ideas: can you separate your brooder into halves with hardware cloth and zip ties (if it's large enough). Do you have room inside the coop to let the older ones out, while the brooder is still in the coop? What's your coop size?

But the bottom line is, if you plan on hatching a lot, you're going to need to enlarge your space, in my humble, unsolicited opinion. I suggest building a run attached to the coop. It's perfect for the keets/chicks that don't need heat lamps, and makes integrating everyone much easier. You won't be sorry - and it isn't that expensive if you don't care about it looking like something out of Better Coops and Gardens. . (which I don't).

I still think 8 weeks is too young to free range - the losses will be heavy IMO.