Got 25 keets, now what?

[iajewel]

I was at a sale about 2 months ago, and there were some guinea eggs for sale. I just hatched and had a incubator empty. Soooooo I bought 4 dozen eggs at 2.00 a piece. During that time storms knocked out the power enough I only got about a 50% hatch, thats still about 25 keets, not bad. I have at least 2 of the following colors. Pearl, white, Purple, Coral blue, Slate blue, chocolate Violet, Bronze, and Pied. Again.. not a bad 8.00 investment.
I have never had Guinea befor and now that the little darlings run from me like they hate me, and are in that tweet ager stage of looking pretty rediculous with those long wing feathers( LOL.. I love this stage they are so funny) Im wondering.. ok.. now what.. what have I done? I have a very large chicken pen where a Akbash dog guards them, do I clip the wings and assure they stay safe in the pen? Do I allow them to fly out and roam the 30 acers they could very well use hoping they come back at night? Do I open the brooder house window and let them come and go as they please back to their child hood home? 25, dang.. thats allot of new winter shelter. How insulated do they need for winter? or do they just need wind breaks like the ducks?
Im thinking I should have had to pass a test to buy those eggs

.. in the mean time, they are happy and healthy and I adore them.

 

[speckledhen]

Guineas are best suited to free ranging, but you'd best keep them inside for a few weeks before you let them out or they'll just disappear on you. I don't see much use for a penned up guinea since they are fabulous tick control, however, unless you train them to come back to a coop at night, they'll roost in the trees and be picked off by owls. They are fairly winter hardy in spite of being an African bird. I miss mine--had to rehome them when they began beating up my hens and my rooster (only the red hens--the rest were safe). Mine were very tame, but it takes awhile to get them that way. Wish I had some again.

 

[iajewel]

I love the photo. Since mine were hatched here, they are of course "locked up" as they are in the brooder. The special thing about the brooder is its an old wash house. This means there is a window that opens into the chicken yard. Im thinking if I leave that open they will leave on their own to return, untill they find the chicken yard and house, has more room? Is this naive?

 

[StevenW.]

What? No pictures?

I was going to house my Guineas in a moveable Hoop Coop.

 

[iajewel]

Photos, but of course, how silly of me to forget.



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Just to save any confusion, there are some Midget Whites in there as well.

 

[sred98]

Congrats on your new babies!!!

The guineas might be able to get out through the window, but there's no way they'll be able to get back in through it!

Mine have enough trouble going through an open gate sometimes! They are really smart in some ways, but in others...not so much! I'd keep them close by in a small run til they can fly and are secure on their own. Mine go roost in the barn at night with the chickens. Leave a light on in the wash house so it will make them want to go in there at night.

Good luck!

Shelly

 

[StevenW.]

Cute! Love the Poults also!

Congrats!

 

[speckledhen]

They're intelligent....but it's an alien intelligence, LOL. Only they understand themselves.


I don't know how your setup will work with the wash house. Could be great, could be some will just disappear. You have a good number for them making their own society and not being such a bother to the chickens. I had only four at the time I had ten chickens, not a good situation and they lived with the chickens. It's better if they can be separate and have larger numbers such as you have.

I'm jealous of all your pretty colors! I love the lavenders the best--I had three lavs and one huge regular pearl color.

 

[StevenW.]

Quote:

I ordered some Lavendar and Pied Guinea Keets from Ideal. I kept putting Ideal's and my address in the wrong place and I felt so embarrassed when the Post Master pointed it out.

 

[iajewel]

Im learning so much from you guys, thanks.

If you are familiar with wash houses.. great, if not, they are like a small bunk house. It is very possible that 2 bunks were in this at one time, along with a wood stove. The Brooders I have set up will hold in one, 50 chicks and in one, about 25 comfortably for 1 month. Or until tail feathers come in. Although there are windows on the sides of the little house, only the one in the back, facing the chicken coop opens up. There is a next box thingy.. you know the ones with like 50 holes and perches the metal kind.. ya.. those, right under the window, so.. yes, they can get back in with a bit of effort. Im not sure how thrilled I will be with them back in. The house is also my feed storage and not made for roosting. My thoughts are eventually they would find some place they like better and I will get my brooder back, or I can shut the window?
Im really enjoying them. I wish they were tamer. I do go talk to them every day, however picking each one up is hard, as I can't tell them apart. They are little devils. I hold one and it screams sending the rest to put their noses in the corner. I would like to tame them ... suggestions welcome.