Adding Keets to Broody Hen with Chicks...?

[St1ckyBum]

Hello all! I have a rather odd question. I have a broody hen who is due March 9th with 8 chicks. I am planning on adding 3 guinea hens to our flock which are available March 21st. Do you think I could slip these under the momma hen with the then-to-be 2-week old chicks? I am not sure if momma hen would adopt them so late but I have no experience with this. Thoughts???

 

[R2elk]

Hello all! I have a rather odd question. I have a broody hen who is due March 9th with 8 chicks. I am planning on adding 3 guinea hens to our flock which are available March 21st. Do you think I could slip these under the momma hen with the then-to-be 2-week old chicks? I am not sure if momma hen would adopt them so late but I have no experience with this. Thoughts???

Have you seen what size keets are? They would not have any chance with 2 week old chicks. They are so small they could walk right under two week old chicks.

Guineas are a flock bird and do best in large groups. I never recommend getting fewer than 10 guineas for a flock.

 

[GldnValleyHens]

No harm trying. In my experience, when I raised 2 guinea keets with my chicks, all was well. Except the guineas are more voracious and aggressive, and can hog the food and peck at their flockmates toes. They seem to think chicken toes are worms. Depending on how motherly this hen will be, she may or may not want them.

 

[St1ckyBum]

Have you seen what size keets are? They would not have any chance with 2 week old chicks. They are so small they could walk right under two week old chicks.

Guineas are a flock bird and do best in large groups. I never recommend getting fewer than 10 guineas for a flock.

They are French Guineas...a much larger bird. But we will be getting 3-day old keets. I figured because they are a bigger guinea they would grow fast and catch up quick...but maybe not...?

 

[GldnValleyHens]

Have you seen what size keets are? They would not have any chance with 2 week old chicks. They are so small they could walk right under two week old chicks.

Guineas are a flock bird and do best in large groups. I never recommend getting fewer than 10 guineas for a flock.

They are pretty tiny. One of my guinea keets died after a month old, don't know why. Now we just have one, and it thinks its a chicken. Just 1 or 2 works in a flock if they are all raised together and have friends.

 

[GldnValleyHens]

They are French Guineas...a much larger bird. But we will be getting 3-day old keets. I figured because of their size they would blend pretty well being about 1.5 weeks younger than the chicks

Have a back up plan, like a brooder if broody mama doesn't work. I say try it

 

[R2elk]

They are French Guineas...a much larger bird. But we will be getting 3-day old keets. I figured because of their size they would blend pretty well being about 1.5 weeks younger than the chicks

Guinea keets start out tiny whether they are regular or French. Just consider the size of the egg they come from. Would you stick 3 day old bantam chicks with 1.5 week old regular chicks?

Why don't you ask in the Guinea Fowl forum?

 

[The Moonshiner]

No harm trying.

Could be.
If the hen doesn't see them as her own she is more then likely to kill them.

 

[St1ckyBum]

Guinea keets start out tiny whether they are regular or French. Just consider the size of the egg they come from. Would you stick 3 day old bantam chicks with 1.5 week old regular chicks?

Why don't you ask in the Guinea Fowl forum?

I may. It fit in both categories but the primary question is about whether a hen would adopt more after raising her own for 1.5 weeks. The chicken thread seemed more applicable.

 

[GldnValleyHens]

Could be.
If the hen doesn't see them as her own she is more then likely to kill them.

Also true, so it would have to be closely supervised for a long time