Brooder Design

[Rivers Edge Homestead]

How long could Guinea keets be in a plastic tote as a brooder before they need something larger? Also, any tips for how to design a basic temporary enclosure till they can free range at around 8 weeks? We get them tomorrow and will start them in an extra large tote with a heat lamp in the house but know that won’t last long. We are getting about 30 of them. Once they are ready to free range our plan is to have a covered roosting area for them near the chicken coop where we will provide feed/treats to entice them to stick around that area when it’s time to roost.

 

[southwind00]

How long could Guinea keets be in a plastic tote as a brooder before they need something larger? Also, any tips for how to design a basic temporary enclosure till they can free range at around 8 weeks? We get them tomorrow and will start them in an extra large tote with a heat lamp in the house but know that won’t last long. We are getting about 30 of them. Once they are ready to free range our plan is to have a covered roosting area for them near the chicken coop where we will provide feed/treats to entice them to stick around that area when it’s time to roost.

Congrats on getting some keets and starting your journey with Guineas. Your keets will probably be flying to the top of the tote by three or four weeks and then they'll need another enclosure,

Tarps and chicken wire can be used temporarily but after that you'll need something more permanent.

Your plan on free ranging at 8 weeks is pretty much a recipe for disaster. I am sure you got your guineas for bug(tick) control but at 8 weeks they won't have the experience or maturity to do anything but get lost and become predator food. At eights weeks even small hawks(redtails and coopers) will feast on them and what ever foxes and cats you have around will smell the sent they leave and will be taking up residence near you for the free meals. Guineas are a long term investment with the adult birds being excellent bug eaters but they have to get to adulthood.

Please read the thread Raising Guinea Fowl 101 and pay close attention to posts by @PeepsCA .



Good luck.

 

[Rivers Edge Homestead]

Ok thanks, I will work my way through that thread as well. Roughly what age would you consider them ready to free range?

 

[southwind00]

Ok thanks, I will work my way through that thread as well. Roughly what age would you consider them ready to free range?

I think as your birds get older and more mature you'll see them ranging farther and farther. Young guineas are timid and want to follow the leader but the problem is unless you have adult guineas there is no leader. You will grow with your guineas as they grow and when the losses start maybe you'll limit their free range time. And next year when the hormones kick in the mate picking starts and the hidden nest building starts you'll start to see it all in perspective. Have fun

 

[Sydney65]

How many keets is the 1st question. I had one sleep quite happily in hers until she was 8 mo old, but she was inside and not in the box all the time. (She was in d/t being a late single hatch going into winter; she now is outside w/the rest).
I currently have 7 living in the same box, 4.5 wks old. They are transitioning to the run during the day.
So that gives you a month or so install a coop and secure run.My 1st batch were inside - also 7- for abt 8 wks waiting for their coop/truck to be done. Hint - don't take that long.
Don't turn them loose at 8 wks. It sounded reasonable, until the bulk of the hatch was dissappeared in a matter of minutes-and they were with their parents.
Our first coop was/is stupendous. He built it himself, 6'×10' "truck/tractor" - 1/2 coop, 1/2 run. I put a small fan inside and it stays cool. In the winter,I cover the run with clear polycarbonate panels, they have a sun room. Problem is, getting guineas means getting more guineas whether from mating or because you fall inlove w/them and want more colors. So we needed another coop and larger run. He built the run, and- I think we should be calling these things atriums. We're not talking mucky ole chicken run.
But he didn't want to spend 2 months building another coop. So we bought a shed to convert into a coop. It's much bigger-8x12.5. It's easier to clean...and it's hotter than. So we put an 18" outdoor fan in it,covered the top with silver tarp to reflect heat and another tarp to act as on awning over the west window. It's much cooler now, but he's going to put more venting in the roof where the skylights are. All it takes is time.
As for free time at 8 wks, I use an octagonal shaped covered dog kennel. At 8 wks, only a runt will be able to fit between bars (had one), but once out they'll desperately try to get back to the others. It's a good way to acquaint them to the outdoors safely. When the weather/temps arin the 90s, I also use what I call a playpen for 3-4 wk old keets to take them outside during the day. It's a nylon pop up with mesh windows and a zip top- they have bigger ones for dogs but this is shorter. $20 (ish)
You'll be the one training them to return to the coop before dark and locking them in.

 

[Rivers Edge Homestead]

How many keets is the 1st question. I had one sleep quite happily in hers until she was 8 mo old, but she was inside and not in the box all the time. (She was in d/t being a late single hatch going into winter; she now is outside w/the rest).
I currently have 7 living in the same box, 4.5 wks old. They are transitioning to the run during the day.
So that gives you a month or so install a coop and secure run.My 1st batch were inside - also 7- for abt 8 wks waiting for their coop/truck to be done. Hint - don't take that long.
Don't turn them loose at 8 wks. It sounded reasonable, until the bulk of the hatch was dissappeared in a matter of minutes-and they were with their parents.
Our first coop was/is stupendous. He built it himself, 6'×10' "truck/tractor" - 1/2 coop, 1/2 run. I put a small fan inside and it stays cool. In the winter,I cover the run with clear polycarbonate panels, they have a sun room. Problem is, getting guineas means getting more guineas whether from mating or because you fall inlove w/them and want more colors. So we needed another coop and larger run. He built the run, and- I think we should be calling these things atriums. We're not talking mucky ole chicken run.
But he didn't want to spend 2 months building another coop. So we bought a shed to convert into a coop. It's much bigger-8x12.5. It's easier to clean...and it's hotter than. So we put an 18" outdoor fan in it,covered the top with silver tarp to reflect heat and another tarp to act as on awning over the west window. It's much cooler now, but he's going to put more venting in the roof where the skylights are. All it takes is time.
As for free time at 8 wks, I use an octagonal shaped covered dog kennel. At 8 wks, only a runt will be able to fit between bars (had one), but once out they'll desperately try to get back to the others. It's a good way to acquaint them to the outdoors safely. When the weather/temps arin the 90s, I also use what I call a playpen for 3-4 wk old keets to take them outside during the day. It's a nylon pop up with mesh windows and a zip top- they have bigger ones for dogs but this is shorter. $20 (ish)
You'll be the one training them to return to the coop before dark and locking them in.

We started with 33 but are down to 32 already. It looked like one was at the bottom of the snuggle pile when they were sleeping and got suffocated? We know we will lose some to predation whenever we let them out because of where we live. Our area is rich with fox, hawk, owl, coyote, stray dogs, and even occasional black bear… Oye!

In terms of when to get them free ranging, my husband talked with the folks at the farm we got them from (local place) and they said to use a brooder for 8 weeks and then a larger enclosure for 6 months. After that let them free range and they won’t leave your property. They had guineas and peafowl all over their farm free ranging it sounds like. So now we are going to look into the most cost effective way to build the larger enclosure. We have a bunch of pallets and some 1/4” hardware cloth, scraps of tin and we could buy cattle panels and t-posts to make a hoop house style enclosure…. We’ll see What my husband and father-in-law come up with from all that.

 

[southwind00]

We started with 33 but are down to 32 already. It looked like one was at the bottom of the snuggle pile when they were sleeping and got suffocated? We know we will lose some to predation whenever we let them out because of where we live. Our area is rich with fox, hawk, owl, coyote, stray dogs, and even occasional black bear… Oye!

In terms of when to get them free ranging, my husband talked with the folks at the farm we got them from (local place) and they said to use a brooder for 8 weeks and then a larger enclosure for 6 months. After that let them free range and they won’t leave your property. They had guineas and peafowl all over their farm free ranging it sounds like. So now we are going to look into the most cost effective way to build the larger enclosure. We have a bunch of pallets and some 1/4” hardware cloth, scraps of tin and we could buy cattle panels and t-posts to make a hoop house style enclosure…. We’ll see What my husband and father-in-law come up with from all that.

It sounds like you have good support and plan. Everybody does guineas a bit differently, from very hands on to my style of pretty much hands off. They are hardy and interesting birds but getting them through the keet and adolescent stages is the biggest challenge especially without any older birds to show them the way.The 1/4 hardware cloth is the way to go for permanent enclosures , make sure you dig it down into the ground a bit, foxes love to dig under fences.

 

[Sydney65]

We started with 33 but are down to 32 already. It looked like one was at the bottom of the snuggle pile when they were sleeping and got suffocated? We know we will lose some to predation whenever we let them out because of where we live. Our area is rich with fox, hawk, owl, coyote, stray dogs, and even occasional black bear… Oye!

In terms of when to get them free ranging, my husband talked with the folks at the farm we got them from (local place) and they said to use a brooder for 8 weeks and then a larger enclosure for 6 months. After that let them free range and they won’t leave your property. They had guineas and peafowl all over their farm free ranging it sounds like. So now we are going to look into the most cost effective way to build the larger enclosure. We have a bunch of pallets and some 1/4” hardware cloth, scraps of tin and we could buy cattle panels and t-posts to make a hoop house style enclosure…. We’ll see What my husband and father-in-law come up with from all that.

Good plan. I only brooded this time for shy of 5 wks, but that's with the permanent structure completed. @Mixed flock enthusiast has a hoop enclosure with the coop inside. It looks great. The pallet fencing looks really nice,too. Someone had cut down shipping crates for large john deere equip into frames that we used for our run, covered w/1/4" hardcloth. There are all kinds of ways to go about it w/o breaking the bank.
Now that the littles are in, they'll stay in atleast until this fall, as are the ladies. The two males got a lift out from my broom this a.m. bc they started fighting the second I opened the doors,so they'll be outside. A. Lot. Sorry guys, sounds worse than it was, I didn't beat them, I literally lifted and directed toward the door and they flew off. Still a bit weak wristed to try horse rangling 2 testosterone inflamed male jumbos.
Oh, and is it @My2butterflies that has the silos for a coop? That's really cool.