Broody guinea hatch

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Yesterday was the first day that I’ve let all of the guineas out of their pen since the keets hatched. Keets have been getting in and out of the coop easily with Scout Red and Lemon Pie moms, so this was their first day out! I didn’t let them out until nearly 7 PM, only 2 hours of daylight left. I followed at a discreet distance as we have lots of predators and high grass and thickets. I kept mealworms in my pocket and tossed them out a few times so my presence would be welcomed. SR and LP did very well with the keets - the rest of their group was totally uninterested and unwilling to go slow or make any concessions for those tiny little keet legs - jerks! Keets were tired by the end, peeping constantly.

Even out and about, Ghost, cock to his harem of four hens plus a fringe gal, was just uninterested in the keets. Moms finally gave up and took the keets back to the coop at dusk, while the rest of the stir crazy group had to be herded back in at near dark. Interestingly, after all of that keet care, SR nested on the ground with them last night instead of roosting.

 

[Sydney65]

Better pics of guinea keets! They are now just over a week old. I was so proud of Ghost, the cock paired to the hens that stole the keets from Viceroy, for being so good with the keets! I went in with mealworms to show the guineas that I’m not after their keets and in hopes that the keets won’t be terrified of me, and got some pics out of this. Unfortunately, Ghost wanted all of the mealworms and gave a keet a hard peck to keep the keet away. Ouch!!! I don’t know how those keets survive that! Bad bad Ghost!! Ghost is the lavender guinea giving me “ The Look”.

Aw!!!!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Keets are now almost 3 weeks old. They’ve been out free ranging with moms three times now. I let them out in the evening and try to stay close to scare off our predators. The keets are now excellent at sticking with the moms, even through tall grass. The two moms have decided to escort the keets separately from the rest of their harem, with some mixing. The rest of their group just moves too fast and barely seems aware of the keets. When I went to check that keets had settled in the coop for the night, I was quite surprised by a roosting guinea making a lot of threatening noise at me. There was mom Scout Red, up on the roost with a keet in each side! I have no idea how she got them up there, 6 feet high, but she was on high alert Mama Bear mode! SR has really been an impressive mom.

 

[R2elk]

Keets are now almost 3 weeks old. They’ve been out free ranging with moms three times now. I let them out in the evening and try to stay close to scare off our predators. The keets are now excellent at sticking with the moms, even through tall grass. The two moms have decided to escort the keets separately from the rest of their harem, with some mixing. The rest of their group just moves too fast and barely seems aware of the keets. When I went to check that keets had settled in the coop for the night, I was quite surprised by a roosting guinea making a lot of threatening noise at me. There was mom Scout Red, up on the roost with a keet in each side! I have no idea how she got them up there, 6 feet high, but she was on high alert Mama Bear mode! SR has really been an impressive mom.

Three week old guinea keets fly very well and would not have any trouble flying up there with her.

 

[My2butterflies]

Huh, I just took all of Welch’s viable eggs and left glue filled eggs. She’s still sitting on them. I have t been giving min the choice with wild nests - they are still locked up. I’m thinking I will try letting them out this afternoon, but I’ll follow the group with the 2 week old keets and see how it goes.

For your setup, did you put a brooder plate in the pen? I wondered if I could do that; leave a brooder plate for the keets to stay under at night if the hens all decide to roost...

I haven’t made my setup yet. I just sold all my hatched keets last week. Around the 9-10th I’ll be receiving 15 keets that will be the ones I will add to the flock. I don't plan to have any heat out there. I‘ll brood them inside for 3-4wks and they move them to a pen inside the coop. We will be in full swing summer temps still so I don’t want to make the coop uncomfortable for the adults.

 

[My2butterflies]

Keets are now almost 3 weeks old. They’ve been out free ranging with moms three times now. I let them out in the evening and try to stay close to scare off our predators. The keets are now excellent at sticking with the moms, even through tall grass. The two moms have decided to escort the keets separately from the rest of their harem, with some mixing. The rest of their group just moves too fast and barely seems aware of the keets. When I went to check that keets had settled in the coop for the night, I was quite surprised by a roosting guinea making a lot of threatening noise at me. There was mom Scout Red, up on the roost with a keet in each side! I have no idea how she got them up there, 6 feet high, but she was on high alert Mama Bear mode! SR has really been an impressive mom.

I love the pictures!
what a proud mama!

 

[Tre3hugger]

Great pics. Nice job Scout Red!

Edit for spelling

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Update: 6 eggs set under guineas hen, 4 eggs hatched (1 malpositioned, 1 disappeared), 3 keets lost to snake/storm/electric fencing, 1 keet remains. The lone survivor is very good at sticking with mom when out foraging. I’m guessing that the keet is a girl, just a hunch based on comparing its attitude with its hatchmate, plus the way it walks and calls with mama when they get separated from their little sub flock. It will need to be out a lot over the next week, because our temperatures are soaring to triple digits for at least a solid week, too hot to keep them cooped.

 

[Tre3hugger]

Good luck on the range little one!

 

[Sydney65]

Update: 6 eggs set under guineas hen, 4 eggs hatched (1 malpositioned, 1 disappeared), 3 keets lost to snake/storm/electric fencing, 1 keet remains. The lone survivor is very good at sticking with mom when out foraging. I’m guessing that the keet is a girl, just a hunch based on comparing its attitude with its hatchmate, plus the way it walks and calls with mama when they get separated from their little sub flock. It will need to be out a lot over the next week, because our temperatures are soaring to triple digits for at least a solid week, too hot to keep them cooped.

So you want to go July or August Hatchalong? LOL- or both for good measure?