Does my keet need a heat lamp?

[BantammChick]

Hi, so my guineas hatched 9 babies, I found them on Saturday, and by today there was only one left, I think they got lost in the long grass in the field. Well, I caught the last one and put it in a box on the porch, it's going to get down to 70 degrees Fahrenheit tonight, I don't know if it's too cold for the baby or not. It seems to be doing ok right now, it's 79 right now. I'm not sure on its age, I don't think it's quite 1 week because it doesn't have any feathers yet at all. I put corid in its water, and marbles so it won't drown. I don't have any fowl starter right now, so I fed it some all stock. Thanks for any help!

 

[Texasclucker]

i would. baby fowl catch a chill quickly and can die very fast without heat so yes please put it under some heat food water maybe even a bit of sugar water if the heat doesn't make it perk up and yes the allstock should be fine for now but get it some proper chick starter as soon as possible maybe mealworms too maybe some guinea eggsperts will come along I'm pretty sure guineas need more protein than regular chicks so id try to pick some mealworms up also

 

[R2elk]

Hi, so my guineas hatched 9 babies, I found them on Saturday, and by today there was only one left, I think they got lost in the long grass in the field. Well, I caught the last one and put it in a box on the porch, it's going to get down to 70 degrees Fahrenheit tonight, I don't know if it's too cold for the baby or not. It seems to be doing ok right now, it's 79 right now. I'm not sure on its age, I don't think it's quite 1 week because it doesn't have any feathers yet at all. I put corid in its water, and marbles so it won't drown. I don't have any fowl starter right now, so I fed it some all stock. Thanks for any help!

You need to provide the keet heat. The ideal would be to catch the mother and put her and the keet together in a secure place where she cannot take the keet out and lose it. If that isn't possible the keet needs to be provided a brooder environment. The temperature in the "hot spot" should be 90°F measured at the bedding level.

It needs a proper high protein turkey or gamebird starter. The all flock is better for it than chick starter because all flock typically has higher protein, lysine, methionine and niacin levels than chick starter has. With only one keet, perhaps you can find someone locally that you can get 5 lbs. of proper feed for it.

 

[R2elk]

i would. baby fowl catch a chill quickly and can die very fast without heat so yes please put it under some heat food water maybe even a bit of sugar water if the heat doesn't make it perk up and yes the allstock should be fine for now but get it some proper chick starter as soon as possible maybe mealworms too maybe some guinea eggsperts will come along I'm pretty sure guineas need more protein than regular chicks so id try to pick some mealworms up also

It isn't just the protein levels that make chick starter inappropriate for keets and poults. They also need higher levels of lysine, methionine and niacin.

 

[Texasclucker]

Not sure I’d put that guinea mama in with the baby it could step on it not to mention how mean guinea mamas can be if you try to put more food or water guinea bites don’t feel very good

 

[R2elk]

Not sure I’d put that guinea mama in with the baby it could step on it not to mention how mean guinea mamas can be if you try to put more food or water guinea bites don’t feel very good

Guinea hens can be wonderful mothers to their own keets. Keets that are raised by the mother are often tended to by the entire flock.

 

[BantammChick]

I gave the guinea a heat lamp, it seems to be doing good this morning!

 

[BantammChick]

I got the guinea some gamebird starter, the guinea is already starting to get some feathers!