Better Keet feeder?

[Jared]

It seems to me, that guinea keets are terribly messy eaters. The starter I have in their food pan is scattered throughout the cage, while the same number of chicken chicks don't toss out near as much feed. Is there a better food dish for guinea keets?

 

[Oakieridge]

We start outs out with a round metal jar feeder, at 4 weeks they move outside to an outside brooder we put feed in a rabbit feeder that hubby cut some metal flashing to fit in the bottom of it so the feed doesn't go through the bottom.

 

[Jared]

Yes I use some a couple different types of feeders. 7 guinea keets will have it emptied and scattered across the cage in a relatively short time, whereas the 30 chicken chicks don't scatter 1/4 of the food.
As newly hatched chicks/keets, we use a peanut butter lid, add food and enough water to dampen it well. They don't seem to scratch this out very much at all. I think I am going to attempt to modify a larger feeder and moisten the keet food, see if this won't stop the waste. I am slightly concerned with it drying out and only having a solid block of food in a feeder which may be somewhat difficult for them to eat.

 

[perchie.girl]

It seems to me, that guinea keets are terribly messy eaters. The starter I have in their food pan is scattered throughout the cage, while the same number of chicken chicks don't toss out near as much feed. Is there a better food dish for guinea keets?

Welcome

from San Diego.


LOL welcome to the world of Guineas.... hee hee. The first couple of weeks is the worst it gets better. They are not scratching the feed they are spring running through it chasing about. I wouldnt wet the food just because you can start bacteria growing in a highly nutritious media. .

The best solution I have found is to raise the feeder up so they cant get their feet in it. Figure on wasting the first weeks worth.... LOL. But after that start raising the feeder up a little. I have 3 less than one week olds right now in a small brooder. They started out the size of your thumb about the size of a banty or even a large quail. They hatched Wednesday Right now they have tripppled in size. So the first week they are eatin machines. And running and flopping about and falling into things..... They love their mirror though and that helps keep them a little calmer. Guineas grow very fast so they eat alot.... I bought 50 lbs of feed for these three littleuns. I expect to go through at least half before they need big bird food. By the time they are two weeks old their flight feathers are big enough to launch them up about four to five feet. And they will have caught up in size to a chick the same age.

deb