Guinea Keets and Broody Hens

[N F C]

Best wishes, thanks for joining.

 

[Grandmother Goose]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
How long have your broody hens been broody? It is possible to graft guinea keets to a chicken hen. From what I understand the guinea keets will grow up to be a bit quieter than a keet raised by a guinea hen.

Due to the size of the hens and the size of the keets I would wait a couple of days before you try to slip them under the hens at night after removing eggs from under them. Your broody hens should only be setting on fake eggs and not real eggs.

No rooster in my flock has ever harmed chick. They're always very curious about them, very gentle with them, and if the mother lets them they enjoy feeding the chicks.

Thank you. The hens have been broody for 3 weeks or so. First one, then two, then three now four of them. All part of my 2 year old group. Last years hatchlings are free ranging and still giving eggs. I was thinking of trying a few with each broody hen (I have 15 keets). These hens have plucked all their under feathers and fight me any time I look for eggs. They are feisty and I am hoping they will be the same with their adopted chicks. I might try for different nights to see how it works out (that way I don't loose them all if there is an issue).

 

[chrissynemetz]

Welcome to BYC! We're very happy to have you with us!

 

[muddy75]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[Debbie292d]

Hiya, and welcome to BYC!! We're glad you're here!

 

[swampfox440]

Welcome to BYC! good luck with your Keets!

 

[Tookie]

Hello, and welcome to BYC!

 

[Grandmother Goose]

Thank you all for the warm welcome.

 

[Grandmother Goose]

Well.... I did put the guinea fowl in with my broody hens. There were three Jersey giants in three separate boxes so I divided my 13 guineas between them. Day 1 I put 4 with a hen. Next morning she had them under her wings Day 2 I put the rest in the next two boxes. One hen had her group but the other one moved and left them alone. I tried to spread them between the two more stable hens and they escaped under my benches and upset the hens. The hens were also too big for the nesting boxes so I set them up on the floor of the coop with a fence around the area. Low an behold the girls decided to share. Next I found three hens sharing all the keets. It is sooo cute to see them working together. Neither the rooster nor the other hens seem to bother the group of 3 moms and 13 keets. Can't wait to see how this works out. All seem content. Thanks for the advice it gave me the confidence to try this experiment.

 

[TwoCrows]

Well.... I did put the guinea fowl in with my broody hens. There were three Jersey giants in three separate boxes so I divided my 13 guineas between them. Day 1 I put 4 with a hen. Next morning she had them under her wings Day 2 I put the rest in the next two boxes. One hen had her group but the other one moved and left them alone. I tried to spread them between the two more stable hens and they escaped under my benches and upset the hens. The hens were also too big for the nesting boxes so I set them up on the floor of the coop with a fence around the area. Low an behold the girls decided to share. Next I found three hens sharing all the keets. It is sooo cute to see them working together. Neither the rooster nor the other hens seem to bother the group of 3 moms and 13 keets. Can't wait to see how this works out. All seem content. Thanks for the advice it gave me the confidence to try this experiment.

Cute little birds!