Guinea chicks have abandoned their foster mother!

[JSO]

Had a broody hen, so bought some guinea eggs. Now have four three-week old guinea chicks which have been brooded by their foster mother. Tonight they’re not under her but perched tightly together in a row on a perch in the coop. Their decision I suppose, but…Will they be OK? (I’m in the UK)

 

[Sydney65]

Had a broody hen, so bought some guinea eggs. Now have four three-week old guinea chicks which have been brooded by their foster mother. Tonight they’re not under her but perched tightly together in a row on a perch in the coop. Their decision I suppose, but…Will they be OK? (I’m in the UK)

At 4 wks they're ready to move out of a brooder. This is her (& my) first time, so we're both new at this, & I can't speak of what they do through out the night. But of what I am seeing, it's the same as yours, and same age. She's a pretty good mom, but does want to take them into field, etc. So she goes in a covered kennel that they are still able to pass in and out of and they get to free range. They wander abt, staying close to her and run back in w/her periodically. I find them perched, smushed as you describe, in the coop. I guess they're stretching their wings. It's getting down in the 50's at night and all are fine and healthy, taking short flights.. They're actually growing and developing much faster than she did coddled in an indoor brooder. (She started off w/21, she always had the bulk of them and the 2 males split 7-8 btw them. They got caught in a storm last wk and instead of going to the coop, they went to the field. She came back w/hers, the males & their 7 have not.)

 

[JSO]

At 4 wks they're ready to move out of a brooder. This is her (& my) first time, so we're both new at this, & I can't speak of what they do through out the night. But of what I am seeing, it's the same as yours, and same age. She's a pretty good mom, but does want to take them into field, etc. So she goes in a covered kennel that they are still able to pass in and out of and they get to free range. They wander abt, staying close to her and run back in w/her periodically. I find them perched, smushed as you describe, in the coop. I guess they're stretching their wings. It's getting down in the 50's at night and all are fine and healthy, taking short flights.. They're actually growing and developing much faster than she did coddled in an indoor brooder. (She started off w/21, she always had the bulk of them and the 2 males split 7-8 btw them. They got caught in a storm last wk and instead of going to the coop, they went to the field. She came back w/hers, the males & their 7 have not.)

Thanks for this. Re-assuring!
My pea chicks, a bit older, are still going under their mother's wings on the perch...guineas more independent, took me by surprise.

 

[Newfowler1]

They will be fine.

 

[JSO]

They will be fine.

Thanks. Turns out they were! Under the mother chicken’s wings on the perch last night! . Didn’t know chickens did that…