Can I free range my keets?

[cqangie29]

My keets are 7 weeks old. I have 6 of them. When is it a good age to let them out for the day? They are inside my workshop right now because I'm still building their coop. I feel like they are dying to get out and run around. I'm also afraid they won't come back .

 

[R2elk]

My keets are 7 weeks old. I have 6 of them. When is it a good age to let them out for the day? They are inside my workshop right now because I'm still building their coop. I feel like they are dying to get out and run around. I'm also afraid they won't come back .

It would be better if you already had their coop and had them accustomed to the coop before letting them out.

I don't recommend letting them out for the day at first. Try shorter supervised time periods before you just let them out on their own.

 

[Nathaliexx]

Hi Angie,

I also have guinea fowls (8 of them) i hatched them.
I read you best keep them in their coop for at least the first 6 weeks, to get them used to their ‘home’.
I kept them inside for much longer (we don’t even live outside the village, but i was -and still am- too afraid they will run away).
I did clip one of their wings, so they’re not able to fly as well as they can with both their wings intact(?)

My guineas are 6 and 7 months now.
I did tame them, so when i whistle, they come to me and they also stay in our back garden most of the time (sometimes they jump on the barn roof, but until now they do come back).
It happened twice when one of them landed in our neighbours’ garden -by accident- but when the others ‘called’ him, he immediately came back.

Unfortunately i don’t know everything about guineas (yet) so maybe someone else around here know what to do best.

I hope you’ll have as much fun with them as we do!

 

[Nathaliexx]

It would be better if you already had their coop and had them accustomed to the coop before letting them out.

I don't recommend letting them out for the day at first. Try shorter supervised time periods before you just let them out on their own.

I almost forgot..yeah, i also supervised the first week or so, when i let them out..

 

[cqangie29]

It would be better if you already had their coop and had them accustomed to the coop before letting them out.

I don't recommend letting them out for the day at first. Try shorter supervised time periods before you just let them out on their own.

Their coop should be done soon. Thank you so much for your input

 

[cqangie29]

Hi Angie,

I also have guinea fowls (8 of them) i hatched them.
I read you best keep them in their coop for at least the first 6 weeks, to get them used to their ‘home’.
I kept them inside for much longer (we don’t even live outside the village, but i was -and still am- too afraid they will run away).
I did clip one of their wings, so they’re not able to fly as well as they can with both their wings intact(?)

My guineas are 6 and 7 months now.
I did tame them, so when i whistle, they come to me and they also stay in our back garden most of the time (sometimes they jump on the barn roof, but until now they do come back).
It happened twice when one of them landed in our neighbours’ garden -by accident- but when the others ‘called’ him, he immediately came back.

Unfortunately i don’t know everything about guineas (yet) so maybe someone else around here know what to do best.

I hope you’ll have as much fun with them as we do!

I bought them at 2 weeks old and I've spent so much time watching over them, and handling them. But ever since I put them out in my workshop (they were inside my house, and flying out of the container) they have been so wild. They go nuts when I go in to check on them. I can't even get near them without them freaking out lol. I'll be getting their coop done soon, and they'll be much happier in there. Thank you so much for your reply

 

[Nathaliexx]

I bought them at 2 weeks old and I've spent so much time watching over them, and handling them. But ever since I put them out in my workshop (they were inside my house, and flying out of the container) they have been so wild. They go nuts when I go in to check on them. I can't even get near them without them freaking out lol. I'll be getting their coop done soon, and they'll be much happier in there. Thank you so much for your reply

Aww, maybe it’s because of their new environment (i’m not sure tho).
I do know it’s hard to tame guineas, maybe it has made it easier for me because i hatched them.

I kept mine inside the house from day 1 (also because our rooster and hen where not too fond of them at first).
Now they’re only in our back garden during the day but still inside our house at night.
I know, that’s not very common, but they seem to feel safe that way.
When the weather’s better, i’m going to let them roost in our bigger coop with Diva (our hen).

I’m thinking, maybe they will become more at ease when they can go into their new coop.
I don’t know how big it’s going to be, but i think i would um pet them(?) handling(?) them when they’re in their coop.
I also did that when mine were older: i just went into the coop and just sit with them for a little while

 

[R2elk]

I bought them at 2 weeks old and I've spent so much time watching over them, and handling them. But ever since I put them out in my workshop (they were inside my house, and flying out of the container) they have been so wild. They go nuts when I go in to check on them. I can't even get near them without them freaking out lol. I'll be getting their coop done soon, and they'll be much happier in there. Thank you so much for your reply

Always approach them slowly. Sudden movements can set them off. Sit quietly with them at their level. You could place a food or treat container near you and let them come to you. Patience is a must. Try to be as near their level as possible. It is instinct for them to fear anything that approaches from above.

 

[JB8907]

My guineas are 6 and 7 months now.
I did tame them, so when i whistle, they come to me

How did you tame and teach them to come in picking up 10 tomorrow that hatched yesterday. How do they differ from chicks as far as care goes.

 

[Nathaliexx]

How did you tame and teach them to come in picking up 10 tomorrow that hatched yesterday. How do they differ from chicks as far as care goes.

Hi JB,
Cool! Have you picked them up? What @R2elk said earlier “

Always approach them slowly. Sudden movements can set them off. Sit quietly with them at their level. You could place a food or treat container near you and let them come to you. Patience is a must. Try to be as near their level as possible. It is instinct for them to fear anything that approaches from above.

is very important..try to get their trust that way.
I hatched mine, and spend a lot of time with them (so did my hb and son).
I even talked to them a lot (even when they were in the brooder; when i candled them i also talked to them haha)
I think they can get used to your voice (and other sounds).

I have to say i probably didn’t raise them in a way most ppl do: we didn’t have a coop when we hatched our first guineas (14) and we kept them inside the house (i knew i couldn’t keep them).
When they were one day old, my hb and i bought a little cradle (at the 2nd-hand store) and created a little corner for them in our livingroom..
They grew so very fast, and this way i could see how they grow (how fast they are, their characters etc.)

Now we have 8 guineas: 3 of them have had a difficult start.
“Happy Feet” (we call him Happy) had curled toes at one foot, so i splinted his foot.
“Bikkel” (=tough one) caught a cold. He was very weak and i put him in guarrantine and took extra care of him.
And then there’s “Rocky”, he was having trouble while hatching: he got stuck with his head (it took too long, and that was when i came here to search for advice!).
I hesitated at first, but i got this gut feeling i needed to help him.
I also saw this video on YouTube from someone who also helped a chick to hatch.

I know this is a long story, but what i’m trying to say, is that i took care of them in an uncommon(?) way?

They sat (and still are sitting) with us on the couch sometimes and when they where walking around, i started making these whistling sounds and learned them to follow/come to me.

My guineas aren’t that afraid of noises (they don’t react/alarm when a door slams, a phone rings or when i vacuum the house) because i think they got used to it from the moment they hatched.
They only make this (very noisy) alarm sound, when one or more of them are sitting on our barn roof (they could get away from there and start a journey in the neighborhood..i don’t want them to do that..)

How they’re different from chicks?
Guineas prefer other food than chicks, they like sorghum, wheat and millet grain.
They ‘talk’ much more (it’s a little sound they make, not very loud).
Mine do ask for attention; they love sitting on our legs/roost on our legs
They’re (almost) always together (while chicks go their own way more often).
It looks like they look after eachother.
Guineas are much more
affectionate than (most?) chicks, but that may be has to do with how chicks are raised i think..
Guineas walk like snipers sometimes, haha, especially when they’re curious.
Guineas like to roost high (when they’re in our garden, they like to sit on the coop and on our fence)