8 week heartbroken gunieas???

[kimslack]

I have 2 8-week old french guinea keets that were raised with 10 cornish crosses first in a brooder and then in a chicken tractor. The cornish broilers were processed last Saturday and the two guineas are very stressed. I put 9 5 week old chicks in with them in the chicken tractor and the chicks are pestering them and they just hide in the back of the chicken tractor and cry all day long.

I have the tractor down in front of the coop so they can see the layers, the rooster and the barn and coop. I'm trying to orient them to the coop.

Does anyone have any comments or thoughts on how to go forward with getting the 2 guineas adjusted to life with the hens and Rudy the rooster? I wish they were happier as they were with the CC's whom they loved to nestle down with all day long.
Kim

 

[daylily]

Keets or even Grown guineas do nor like change and take it rather poorly. They will call for those other chicken for days! Keets do not have good temperature control of their bodies until they are older. I would take them out and put them in a brooder again or a dog kennel by themselves. Esp. if the chicks are bothering them. They are stressed by the lose of the others. Put a teddy bear or stuffed animal in with them to cozy up to. They will adjust in their own time.

Do they stay out all night in the tractor? They will need to molt one more time to get their adult feathers. until then they should be where there aren't any drafts. Keets grow slower than chicks. And are terrified by just about everything when they are small.