chick and keets question

[shelleyd2008]

I have 24 chicks that range in age from a few days old to a few weeks old. A friend of mine just gave me 5 guinea keets that are not even day olds yet. The keets are in a seperate brooder right now, a fish aquarium, so they don't try to eat the pine bedding that is in the big brooder. I can't keep them in there too long, cause I have quail due to hatch in a few days, and the aquarium brooder is meant for them. Can I put the keets in with the chicks? If so, when? I was thinking around 3 or 4 days? They should know better than to eat the wood by then right?

 

[talkinboutmygirls]

I raised 12 chicks and 3 keets together when keets were 1 week and chicks were 3 days. I kept them seperate for the first couple of days but in same room so they could see and hear each other. Never have had any problems. Lost 2 of the guineas and 3 of the chickens to dogs, but the rest are happy and healthy. "Mister" has elected himself to be chicken herder.

Good luck with yours!

 

[talkinboutmygirls]

oops - forgot to say that they are now 5 months old and 3 of my girls are laying.

 

[cthrash1]

Shelley, my guinea grew up with my chickens, in the same coop and pen, that's why it thinks it's a chicken...Follows my Australorp around like she is it's momma. I know it makes two tone sounds some but I'm really leaning toward male by the way...But I'll still video it this week.

 

[shelleyd2008]

These are not even day old yet, so I was wondering how long I have to keep them away from the wood shavings?

As far as the size of them, the chicks are 2 week old banties, very small; 3 day old banties, also very small; 1-2 week old standard chick, and 12 4 to 5 day old standard chicks. I'm sure the keets would fit right in, but I don't want them eating the wood.

 

[Chirpy]

Without knowing any better, I put my first chicks right onto wood shavings. They did just fine. None of them tried to eat the shavings. Now, I do put paper towels on the shavings so as not to take any chances.

I think you can move the keets in with the chicks at any time, just keep a close eye on them.

If someone with more experience disagrees with me I hope they'll speak up.

My keets were raised with my chickens also, they are all now five months old and thus far doing great together. My guineas seem to think they are chickens. I don't know if that will continue when they get older.

 

[farmergal]

if you raise chicks and keets together, what do you feed them? I was told keets need a game bird starter (with higher protein content)... I just separated my keets and chicks so I could feed them differently, but now they really really miss each other -- they actually broke through the cardboard wall separating them! (The keets all think they're chickens, or the chickens think they're keets, I can't really tell which. It's so cute to see them snuggled up together at night.)
If I could keep them together, I would. So I'd love to hear what you guys fed yours, and how well they grew on it!

 

[talkinboutmygirls]

Keets raised alone, according to all that I have read on here and elsewhere, need turkey/gamebird starter. Keets raised with chickens do fine on chick starter. NEVER feed chicks turkey/gamebird starter!

 

[shelleyd2008]

Yeah, everyone in my area that I know that have raised baby guineas say they feed the chick starter.