Guinea Keets - 5.5 weeks

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

So I just went out to check everybody, mom has managed to keep all 7 with her and everybody looks good so far.

So I also have 21 chickens, 13 pullets who the guinea mom would NOT let around her babies, then my 8 older girls that for some reason the mom didn’t care if they came near or not. She also doesn’t care if the other members of the guinea gang come around the babies.
Her and keets have always been in a see-no touch situation. They’ve been penned in the goat barn for the first 5 weeks after birth where all guineas and chickens can see them/hear them. Then for the last week or so, they’ve been in the divided coop within my main coop, so everybody should be aware of their existence!

Honestly, I think I’m just going to let them figure it out ::

Good luck! I hope you’ll let us know how it goes!

 

[Unicornlife3316]

Good luck! I hope you’ll let us know how it goes!

They did great! Mom was able to keep all 7 together and alive today AND brought them to the coop at dusk!! Hopefully they can continue to thrive and blend to the flock. I’ll update as they grow!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

They did great! Mom was able to keep all 7 together and alive today AND brought them to the coop at dusk!! Hopefully they can continue to thrive and blend to the flock. I’ll update as they grow!

Awesome news!!!

 

[Flockincrazy]

they should be ok at that age and I swear apon the hot pepper trick you smash up the hottest peppers you can get your hands on and make a line around your property or your coop/run and it deters predators you have to reapply every month or after a big rain i have not any predators since I started to do this

 

[Unicornlife3316]

All 7 babies still doing great!
How long will the mom actively look after them? They’re 7 weeks old today.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

All 7 babies still doing great!
How long will the mom actively look after them? They’re 7 weeks old today.

Oh how pretty they are!!! How long? I don’t know! Waiting to find out from you!

 

[Unicornlife3316]

Oh how pretty they are!!! How long? I don’t know! Waiting to find out from you!

Haha ok i guess I’ll let you know!
Right now they’re dust bathing alone in front of the barn while the mom forages in the bull field hopefully it’s not 7 weeks and then on your own!!

 

[Unicornlife3316]

So unfortunately I lost a keet to an extremely large rat snake last night... found another snake in the coop (possibly the same from last night but can’t be 100% sure, relocated to other side of property) so I’m down to 6. But the 6 are still doing great.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

So unfortunately I lost a keet to an extremely large rat snake last night... found another snake in the coop (possibly the same from last night but can’t be 100% sure, relocated to other side of property) so I’m down to 6. But the 6 are still doing great. View attachment 2216105View attachment 2216105

Damn rat snakes! They really have a thing for guineas. I’ve lost 2 keets last year and one this year to black rat snakes! What a bummer - sorry that you lost your keet. We relocate them further, like a couple of miles, as they can travel quite a distance. I’m glad that the rest of the keets are doing well.

 

[Unicornlife3316]

Damn rat snakes! They really have a thing for guineas. I’ve lost 2 keets last year and one this year to black rat snakes! What a bummer - sorry that you lost your keet. We relocate them further, like a couple of miles, as they can travel quite a distance. I’m glad that the rest of the keets are doing well.

This one has come around a lot, he’s usually just here for eggs but there aren’t any in the coop right now, so he figured he’d try. Unfortunate, because the keets are too big for him so he didn’t even get a meal.