Guinea's are 8 weeks old....process for letting them start being out?

[Buttercup902]

So I planned on letting them start free range but I am fretful that they will leave and not come back. I have read let just a couple out at a time.

How do I do this? Just leave the door open and watch? Adding my dogs to the mix is going to be the real trial. YIKES...I am nervous.

 

[dalaitom]

Personally, I'd be hesitant to let them out just yet. I had two adult Guineas and then added 3 8 week old babies. I waited another 6 weeks before I let them begin to free range. The babies still seem to rely heavily on the experience of the two adults. When the juveniles are separated from the adults, they seem lost and don't know what to do, but they are learning.

Without those adults to guide (and warn) your 8 week olds, I'd only let them out if it was in a protected area as they are still small enough to be easily taken by hawks/owls.

 

[Buttercup902]

ahhh....I had no idea. So when do I let them out?

 

[Percheron chick]

Are you mixing them with adult chickens or do you just have the guineas? I left mine caged in the coop with the hens until they were about 12 weeks old. By then, they need 10x the room so I just let them loose in the coop. Took them another week to be brave enough to wander outside into the run and went outside immediately. Stuck close to a few hens for another month. They have been great about returning every night to the coop.

If you have just them, I would just leave them in the run for now and work on the dogs. Adult guineas are good at beating up dogs but if they go after the keets, I would think they would be more apt to run and scatter making chasing them all the more fun.

 

[Buttercup902]

No chickens at this time and no run either. My husband lost steam building and is now travelling for work.

They have the whole coop to themselves and there are 14 of them. I will wait a few more weeks. Good idea about the dogs. I think I will take the next few weeks and leash train them around the guineas. Thanks

 

[Percheron chick]

Do you have a large dog crate or run you can attach to the coop so they have some outside time? Check out CL for chainlink dog runs. Something even as small as 6x6 is better than nothing and a nice size to hold a new or sick bird in. The dogs shouldn't be able to get them through the chainlink so you don't have to work with the dogs or keep them leased all the time they are out.