Guinea question

[ChickenWhisperer101]

I have a hen sitting on 20+ eggs, if you're really into driving. Otherwise -
when I received my 1st batch, all but 3 died w/i hrs. So they shipped me more, and some of those were or did die,too. That's when I came to this forum. Needless to say, @R2elk & @Mixed flock enthusiast put a lot of effort into teaching me abt goonies.
The 3 that survived the 1st time ended up being my jumbo guineas. The new keets were "standard" size. Nuggie was a runt from the get go.
The bigger/older keets not only got along fine w/the younger ones, but I even commented here at the time that they seemed to be more protective of Nug, making sure he wasn't picked on or shoved out from the food. So your one will probably not only be glad for the company but get along w/them fine. Side note- @R2elk told me at the time that they tend to protect the weaker ones at 1st but only for so long. This was valid insight. Nug became such a brat that it was common to see the entire flock chasing him around the house when they were older. -but it was his own doing.
Likewise- I read an article last week that got sent from this forum abt younger keets being better accepted by the current confusion. I decided to test the theory bc I had another hatch coming. So I moved the (3) 3 wk olds into the coop w/the two adult males. I have one hen on a nest and one hen flew the coop.
I put another brooder in the coop so that they could have a safe place and get warmer if needed. I'm pretty sure they're still sleeping in it bc they are in it every a.m. when I go out. But, I also still put starter feed in it just for them, too.
The males have turned out to be excellent babysitters. It's not unusual to see them walking side by side w/the 3 keets between them.

Thanks for all the info! I don’t really want to drive to Indiana, so… yeah. I think I’m gonna get some keets the 25th and hope “brave” (my single keet) with stick around until then.

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

Here’s Brave hiding with “pepper” from my crazy cockerels. She is buddying up with one of my Columbian Wyandotte’s named pepper for now.

 

[Sydney65]

How old are your keets? I’ve had too much experience with Western rat snakes! I’m posting a pic of one that had just consumed two week old keets plus a pile of eggs. My moms were so brave - they were locked in the coop with the snake, but they didn’t abandon the last keet. They were terrified of the snake and could have gone up to the roosts, but still hunkered down on the floor, shielding her with their bodies. In the pics below, the snake is burrowed in shavings just a foot behind these hens, contently digesting it’s huge meal so it could eat again… I didn’t even know that the snake was there but took a pic because the position and attitude of the hens was so odd. Then I found the snake when trying to figure out where the keets went.

Western rat snakes have completely consumed my eggs and two week old keets. I also had one kill 2 mo old keets, but it was unable to actually swallow them. If the snake keeps returning, then it’s probably interested in your keets and will kill chicks too. My neighbor had one kill an adult mallard duck in the coop, though once again it was unable to swallow it. I catch and relocate them by hand as my minnow trap has been a dismal failure. You might want to keep some heavy gardening gloves near your coop and immediately grab the snake if you see it again. If they are wary of people, they can indeed be very fast! I am mostly able to catch them because they are busy eating a pile of eggs when I find them… They will still leave quickly but not as fast with an egg half way down their throat!

Good mamas!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Here’s Brave hiding with “pepper” from my crazy cockerels. She is buddying up with one of my Columbian Wyandotte’s named pepper for now.

Awwww!

 

[R2elk]

At what age can the keets move out to grass? My mini chicken tractor will be empty then, so I can brood outdoors if possible. It’s 95+ during the day and around 80 at night.

While your day time temps are fine for day old keets, They need to be at least two weeks old to take 80°F at night without supplemental heat.

 

[Sydney65]

The different designs of the feathers in the same color of bird still fascinates me. Brave's design is like a quilt. My 3 look more like scales/bars, and I remember someone else's that were pied looked like fragmented glass/kaleidoscope .

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

Okay, great news, I got 3 guineas yesterday with some chicks! After they quarantine for a few weeks brave will finally have guinea friends!

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

Here’s Brave the other day.

 

[Sydney65]

Okay, great news, I got 3 guineas yesterday with some chicks! After they quarantine for a few weeks brave will finally have guinea friends!

Yay! Unfortunately Ida made her effects known all the way here Monday despite weathermen saying it wldnt. We went from bright sunny day to massive downpour in less time than it took me to run out the back door to round everyone up, and they high tailed it into the cornfield.
In the end, Mama came back with 10 of 21 keets. I found 4 more of hers, 1 of the twins, and the set of triplets. No sign of the other 7 keets, the other twin, Nuggie or PJ, my 3 yr olds.
I sold the triplets this weekend who will be loved and not eaten by a little girl, which is good bc Mama Rose was horrid with them, and my 6 wk old no longer a twin is traumatized.
So being the logical person that I am in times of heartbreak, I bid on 15 eggs, knowing there was no way I would win w/the high number of bidders.
...and now I have 18 eggs in the new incubator.

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

Glad you got most of them. I’m really sorry you lost some though.

My 3 new keets are 2 lavender and 1 pearl. I think 2 are boys and ones a girl, which make 2 of each. I’m going to house them with my bantams after quarantine. Is this a good idea? Brave is attached to some of the bantams, so I don’t really want to take her away from them.