Brooder and Feed Problems

[tlkjaw]

The brooder that I made for our 22 guinea hens almost two weeks ago is getting way to small. I used a dog crate and lined it with cardboard and so on. They seem comfortable in they're home but i'm worried they do not have enough room. They are starting to fly in what little space they have but i'm not sure what i should use for a new brooder. They are not even two weeks old so they cannot go outside yet, but i'm still not sure what to use. I was thinking a giant cardboard box from u-haul or something but i'm worried it will soak up the poop and urine. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas.
Another problem is their feed. I started them on turkey starter but from Friday to today they have already eating a 12 oz bag. I have never raised keets before so I have no idea if its normal for them to eat that much. I'm afraid that it isn't filling them like it should be.
Last problem is their water dish. I give them fresh water everyday and from the time I go to bed by the time I wake up which is about 8-9 hours they have completely filled their water dish with shavings. I was wondering if there was anyway to prevent this or if I will just have to stop being lazy! lol, thanks for your time

Then!


Nowwwwwww!

 

[downsm75]

Buy a hanging waterer. A BIG box and line it so it's cleanable. Are you planning on them sharing shelter at night or roosting wherever?

 

[tlkjaw]

I plan on them sharing a shelter. I have a chicken coup outside that will be surrounded by 6 ft. fences. That way they can still get out but hopefully come back at night.

 

[PeepsCA]

Keets seem to waste more feed than they eat for quite a while, especially with the kind of feeder you are using. They kick/scratch it out and scatter it everywhere. I like the long narrow feeders with round holes on each side for young keets, but they do tend to sleep/roost on them and poop all over them/in the food... ultimately tho less food is wasted/scattered out all over the brooder. I set my waterers up on blocks, and use straw or orchard grass hay (or any type of hay with no seed stalks or fine leaves for them to eat/consume) for bedding instead of shavings. Keeps the waterers cleaner, but it should be changed daily anyway.

I like the lined large box idea for a bigger brooder (like the major appliance boxes), just make sure you line it with something the keets cannot ingest/shred.The other option is to build them a wired off section in the coop, if you have electricity out there and can run a brooder lamp for them (which is mostly just needed just at night this time of year). I have 2 intermediate brooders that I use for my growing keets, one is actually a older 2-horse straight pull horse trailer that I have converted into a large brooder and enclosed all openings with hardware cloth. I added perches, a large rock and some milk crates for things for them to perch on and hop around on, plus straw in the manger area. There's also a brooder lamp, hanging feeder and a large waterer (elevated up on blocks) in it. All the doors are covered with wire so I open them up during the day, close them up at night. Works great. Another intermediate brooder I use is one built, similar in design to a large rabbit hutch (4'x8' floor space). It's constricted with hardware cloth, 2"x2"s and linseed oil treated OSB (and several layers of paint on the exterior). A lot of work and expense initially, but I use it every season so the cost was justified. I have 2 hanging waterers and feeders in that one and a lamp if it's needed.

And I don't mean to burst your bubble about your future coop/pen idea... but the fly out over the 6 foot fence/come back in at night/come and go as they please plan does not always work out with Guineas. Guineas tend to get stuck on the outside of fences they just flew over 30 seconds ago (or have flown over a million times before), then they panic and go stupid, squawking and pacing until a predator gets them. It also teaches them that any fence is something they should/can fly over if they choose to (I prefer that my birds stay inside my fenced 10 acres...and for the most part they do). Also if you leave the coop open for the birds to come and go, then so can the predators. So IMO (and in my situation), it's better to have the run covered, and teach the Guineas to come when called for treats and establish a coop up routine each night (with them being locked in each night) so they are safe from predators each night.

 

[MTerry]

I used (and am using again) a very large (refrigerator) size box. I lined the bottom with newspaper and covered that with pine shavings. The box is tall enough to run a stick thru for a perch. With a good depth of shavings, you don't need to clean it out very often. Has worked very well for me, just dusty having it in the house.

 

[JLeigh]

I have the same situation with my six new keets. They have grown so much in a week and a half that I just stand there stunned at their size. As an interim brooder I'm going to use a lawn tractor "cart" thingy with hardware cloth on top, that will easily house six keets until I can put them in the coop (with the heat lamp....loooong extension cord). The lawn tractor cart won't be beautiful, but they won't care, (and that's the thing, if they don't care, neither should I)...until I can get a nice brooder box built, I have to have a plan B. I'm going to line the cart with rubber shelving and maybe some old towels. Paper towels are costing me a fortune! I don't want to put pine shavings in there just yet.

They're nothing like chicks at two weeks! Not even two weeks and they have functional WING feathers and fly from one end of the brooder to the next, and jump around like popcorn. I had read that, but didn't understand just what it meant until now.

At three weeks, can I use wheat straw or should I go for something different? Pine shavings? Can I use alfalfa? I'm not sure what's best. Advice will be appreciated.

 

[JLeigh]

Oh, yeah, and where can I get a refrigerator box? That's a great idea!

 

[JLeigh]

I'm jealous of your setup, Peeps. Just FYI.

 

[PeepsCA]

Oh, yeah, and where can I get a refrigerator box? That's a great idea!


.... I'm jealous of your setup, Peeps. Just FYI.

Check any place that sells fridges and other large appliances... Lowes, Home Depot, Sears, or any appliance only stores, etc

And no need to be jealous of my set up, it's nothin' fancy, believe me lol, but it works. I drool over a lot of coops/pens/brooder set ups that I see pics of here on BYC!!!

 

[Danisclan]

Tlkjaw congrats on your new babies! I am jealous over how many you got. I also am new to guineas and only have 7. I wish now thst I had purchased
alot more, they are do much fun! Mine are about 7 weeks old. I finally moved mine outside in a temp. Brooder, a giant dog crate with perches I put in it
still working on a coop for just them. They love the grass and digging for bugs. Mine eat like its thier ladt meal everytime and I keep good in there constantly. Hope uou enjoy them as much as I do. Congrats agsin!