Guinea Keet ?

[CrazyChickens09]

Do guinea keets ever settle down? I have six that I have been brooding in a spare bath room(I have had them just shy of two weeks) and I talk to them all the time and they seem just as afraid of me as when I first got them, to the point of slamming into the side of the brooder and trampling each other. I could understand if I was chasing them around the brooder but my hand is at one end and they are at the other end. I am a first time guinea owner and knew that they would be more flighty than chicks but I never imagined it would be this bad. Thanks

 

[pattyhen]

When mine were that age I tried to hold each one everyday. I know it would be hard with that many. Mine enjoyed the pets and holding and talking. I think it helps them to trust you more and bond with you.

 

[Notaneggspurt]

I'm in the exact same boat. We had a couple of traumatic moments i think. One where a keet got stuck in the food dish and one that had pasty butt and needed to be cleaned. We just moved them into the larger brooder where it will be very hard for me to catch them on my own.

I've been making a point to spend as much time as i can in the room with them. There's ambient noise from the air conditioner and refrigerator coming on and off. At the suggestion of other posts I'm going to add a radio for the day time. They seem to have calmed some after the move. They will actually break huddle and eat while I'm sitting by them. Though any noise does still send them to the other side of the brooder still.

 

[Sfraker]

I have had two batches of keets and none would let me near them. However in both cases very shortly after I released them they started following me around the yard.
Now they will jump on us for food and will let us pet their chests while they are eating. I felt like as babies they didn't have much confidence or bravery but as adults they do.