August Hatch-A-Long

[CluckNDoodle]

I finally got the guinea brooder partition done and moved the keet that the guinea moms abandoned. I’ve been so worried about how depressed it looked, but I guess it was indeed eating as it’s pooped several times already in the new brooder. Now the keet is pitifully peeping and constantly walking back and forth at the partition, trying to get to the older keets... sigh, is this an improvement? I candled the Singleton egg again, still days to a week away... Older keets are, maybe 3-5 weeks old? And ready to leave this shirt brooder! The oldest ones can’t stand up tall in the brooder!

Are the older ones being aggressive toward the little one? I almost wonder if you could put one of them on the opposite side of the partition. I do think it will probably calm down sooner this way but that's a tough situation! I may never get guineas. Between you and my friend that just lost all but one of her guineas because they were EATING the pine shavings, I would be too worried! She switched to pine pellets and it's fine and fortunately, she does have chicks close in size but still! Poor little keets!

 

[jolenesdad]

I finally got the guinea brooder partition done and moved the keet that the guinea moms abandoned. I’ve been so worried about how depressed it looked, but I guess it was indeed eating as it’s pooped several times already in the new brooder. Now the keet is pitifully peeping and constantly walking back and forth at the partition, trying to get to the older keets... sigh, is this an improvement? I candled the Singleton egg again, still days to a week away... Older keets are, maybe 3-5 weeks old? And ready to leave this short brooder! The oldest ones can’t stand up tall in the brooder!

OMG they grow SO FAST.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I finally got the guinea brooder partition done and moved the keet that the guinea moms abandoned. I’ve been so worried about how depressed it looked, but I guess it was indeed eating as it’s pooped several times already in the new brooder. Now the keet is pitifully peeping and constantly walking back and forth at the partition, trying to get to the older keets... sigh, is this an improvement? I candled the Singleton egg again, still days to a week away... Older keets are, maybe 3-5 weeks old? And ready to leave this short brooder! The oldest ones can’t stand up tall in the brooder!

Aww!!! I didn't see the pictures earlier!! They really do grow so fast! Wow!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Are the older ones being aggressive toward the little one? I almost wonder if you could put one of them on the opposite side of the partition. I do think it will probably calm down sooner this way but that's a tough situation! I may never get guineas. Between you and my friend that just lost all but one of her guineas because they were EATING the pine shavings, I would be too worried! She switched to pine pellets and it's fine and fortunately, she does have chicks close in size but still! Poor little keets!

Pictures didn’t upload but I edited post so you could see pictures! Yes they eat their substrate. I think I lost two keets to that. I only just put them on pine shavings a few days ago; I figured that they were big enough to figure it out... New keet is on puppy pads, which they also tear up and eat... Wire bottom or sand is probably the way to go. I’m not sure that I’d “recommend” guineas to anyone, they can be pretty obnoxious; my DH and DS are really not fans. In fact, hubby and I had a bit of a discussion about my plan to grow the flock and build a new coop... I really enjoy them though, and anything that reduces our awful tick population is a good thing! That’s why I want to try out the large flock that I’m growing: to give them more of a chance to eat our numerous ticks and to scare away snakes as a larger flock... I think that my current flock is just too small and too female skewed to be fully functional.

Are you suggesting taking a younger (3 week) keet and putting it into the partition with the baby? If I could catch one I could try it... I’m guessing that it will also freak out about being away from its flock. They are incredibly flock minded... It would help so much if this baby would hatch, but I don’t think it’s super close.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Are you suggesting taking a younger (3 week) keet and putting it into the partition with the baby? If I could catch one I could try it... I’m guessing that it will also freak out about being away from its flock. They are incredibly flock minded... It would help so much if this baby would hatch, but I don’t think it’s super close.

Yes, that's what I was thinking. Taking one of the smaller ones and putting it in with the baby but that was before I saw the size difference, lol.
At one point I had two brooders set up, one with 3-week-old chicks and the other with newly hatched chicks and to my surprise, the bigger ones figured out how to get out of their brooder and into the baby brooder. They did it repeatedly before I finally gave in and allowed them to stay. They weren't being aggressive though, I was just worried about how rowdy they are at that age compared to the littles. Well, they proved me wrong, lol. I know guineas are a whole other ballgame though. I hope the little one calms down and has a new little friend soon! They sure are adorable little keets!

 

[Bookworm0124]

Pictures didn’t upload but I edited post so you could see pictures! Yes they eat their substrate. I think I lost two keets to that. I only just put them on pine shavings a few days ago; I figured that they were big enough to figure it out... New keet is on puppy pads, which they also tear up and eat... Wire bottom or sand is probably the way to go. I’m not sure that I’d “recommend” guineas to anyone, they can be pretty obnoxious; my DH and DS are really not fans. In fact, hubby and I had a bit of a discussion about my plan to grow the flock and build a new coop... I really enjoy them though, and anything that reduces our awful tick population is a good thing! That’s why I want to try out the large flock that I’m growing: to give them more of a chance to eat our numerous ticks and to scare away snakes as a larger flock... I think that my current flock is just too small and too female skewed to be fully functional.

Are you suggesting taking a younger (3 week) keet and putting it into the partition with the baby? If I could catch one I could try it... I’m guessing that it will also freak out about being away from its flock. They are incredibly flock minded... It would help so much if this baby would hatch, but I don’t think it’s super close.

Hopefully he gets his friend soon!!
I wanted guinea hens.... But then I figured out how not bright they are lol. Eating bedding and dying?! I couldn't handle the stress lol.

 

[Bookworm0124]

Two little guys in the incubator still. I got some nutridrench into him. I washed off sticky man as best I could. I used some warm water in the sink, while shower was running in the bathroom so he didn't catch a chill. Dried him up some and put him back in to rest. He's currently napping but looks fluffier. Hoping tomorrow he finds his feet.
The other egg hasn't made any progress. I halted assisting for the evening as I saw some blood vessels in the membrane still, so it's wrapped in a moist paper towel and back in peeping away. Fingers crossed for a good outcome tomorrow. If that egg hatches ok I'll be at 50% for this shipped batch.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Hopefully he gets his friend soon!!
I wanted guinea hens.... But then I figured out how not bright they are lol. Eating bedding and dying?! I couldn't handle the stress lol.

They are rock dumb! However, mine are also survivors, good watch birds, and super entertaining. Usually, spending time with the guineas really brightens my day. Today though, I went out there to visit with them and just ended up sternly telling Concord what a bad mom she is amd how sad her baby is without her...

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Two little guys in the incubator still. I got some nutridrench into him. I washed off sticky man as best I could. I used some warm water in the sink, while shower was running in the bathroom so he didn't catch a chill. Dried him up some and put him back in to rest. He's currently napping but looks fluffier. Hoping tomorrow he finds his feet.
The other egg hasn't made any progress. I halted assisting for the evening as I saw some blood vessels in the membrane still, so it's wrapped in a moist paper towel and back in peeping away. Fingers crossed for a good outcome tomorrow. If that egg hatches ok I'll be at 50% for this shipped batch.

Awww, love the sleepy chick!!! Sounds like you are having a great shipped egg hatch!!!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Keet stopped peeping so I went out to check. The older keets are all pressed up against the partition and keet is calm, eating and drinking. I’m going to leave things alone for now. I don’t think that the older keets would attack - these guys had so many (50!) newly hatched keets introduced to them, and they just seem very interested. However, they are so big and so very flighty, dashing everywhere and bouncing off the top low ceiling. I’m afraid that they would accidentally crush this little keet, who’s looking like he has a new lease on life. We may end up selling this plus newly hatched keet (counting my chicks before they hatch!) as it’s going to be hard to get them integrated with this group due to size and nutritional differences. The downside of that plan is that most people who want just a pair of keets probably don’t know much about guineas, and I’d probably be dooming them...