Getting 6 month old birds?

[appleacres]

Hi Everyone,

Sadly I had a terrible experience with ordering keets in the mail--the post was delayed and they perished.
There isn't anyone local to me selling them as day olds, I can only find several people selling older birds (6 months). However I have heard that older birds
will not adjust to the new coop, and will find a way to disappear--I was hoping to have day olds and train them to stay in the coop before our major pest season in our orchard, which starts in May. I don't want to put keets through that experience again this early in the year when temps can get low.

Has anyone had a good experience buying older birds and getting them to stick around?
I will say that I do have an 8' fence around the two acres I would have them free range, and I am OK clipping their wings.
I would still probably look at getting some chickens just to have the experience of raising chicks for the family.

 

[SulkyBantam]

Hi Everyone,

Sadly I had a terrible experience with ordering keets in the mail--the post was delayed and they perished.
There isn't anyone local to me selling them as day olds, I can only find several people selling older birds (6 months). However I have heard that older birds
will not adjust to the new coop, and will find a way to disappear--I was hoping to have day olds and train them to stay in the coop before our major pest season in our orchard, which starts in May. I don't want to put keets through that experience again this early in the year when temps can get low.

Has anyone had a good experience buying older birds and getting them to stick around?
I will say that I do have an 8' fence around the two acres I would have them free range, and I am OK clipping their wings.
I would still probably look at getting some chickens just to have the experience of raising chicks for the family.

I got older birds, and had to lock them in the run for 2 weeks. The always come back if they stray now, and sleep in the same place every night.

If you want to raise chicks, well don't get roos if you have guinea-roos.

 

[red horse ranch]

Any time you get full grown guineas they have to be kept confined for several weeks to a month. Otherwise they will just fly away. An enclosed pen with netting across the top would be okay.
As far as the 8' fence, most of the time it may keep them in. But my guineas fly up on the roof of the house and barn which are a lot more than 8'. If you clip their wings make sure that predators cannot get in to their free range area. Flying is their only protection from predators.

 

[Sydney65]

Hi Everyone,

Sadly I had a terrible experience with ordering keets in the mail--the post was delayed and they perished.
There isn't anyone local to me selling them as day olds, I can only find several people selling older birds (6 months). However I have heard that older birds
will not adjust to the new coop, and will find a way to disappear--I was hoping to have day olds and train them to stay in the coop before our major pest season in our orchard, which starts in May. I don't want to put keets through that experience again this early in the year when temps can get low.

Has anyone had a good experience buying older birds and getting them to stick around?
I will say that I do have an 8' fence around the two acres I would have them free range, and I am OK clipping their wings.
I would still probably look at getting some chickens just to have the experience of raising chicks for the family.

I'm sorry you had to deal w/that. 1000s of young poultry died in shipping last summer due to mail delays, now there's a bill to ban the practice, which will put a lot of hatcheries out of business.
Unless you're opposed to the hatcheries, some begin shipping in May, but ofcourse that would put you behind on pest control.You could look in the poultry for sale in this forum, not sure if anyone ships.
As stated, you'd be looking at several weeks of lock down 6 month olds, who will going into their first mating season-meaning males will start fighting for dominance.

 

[appleacres]

I'm sorry you had to deal w/that. 1000s of young poultry died in shipping last summer due to mail delays, now there's a bill to ban the practice, which will put a lot of hatcheries out of business.
Unless you're opposed to the hatcheries, some begin shipping in May, but ofcourse that would put you behind on pest control.You could look in the poultry for sale in this forum, not sure if anyone ships.
As stated, you'd be looking at several weeks of lock down 6 month olds, who will going into their first mating season-meaning males will start fighting for dominance.

Luckily I decided to brave it and order again--I asked them to try shipping express even though they normally don't--they arrived in two days this time, so maybe that makes a difference! 16, so far very healthy keets!

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

Luckily I decided to brave it and order again--I asked them to try shipping express even though they normally don't--they arrived in two days this time, so maybe that makes a difference! 16, so far very healthy keets!

Please share pictures!