HELP!!!!!!When keets attack!!

[BluegrassSeramas]

I had 3 guinea keets hatch and I put them in the brooder with my serama chicks that have been hatching this week. (I try to stagger hatches from different breeders.)

I went in this morning and I think the guineas attacked my Serama chicks! 4 were dead, 2 were flipped over on their backs, kind of kicking and very weak, I culled them this morning, as they seemed to be suffering. The rest were sitting on their heels because they had bloody toes!!

I saw one of the guineas peck at the little Serama that was only half his size and it peeped in terror and wobbled away because it wouldnt stand on his feet.

I have only raised keets one other time, they were hatched under a broody with other chicks and there was no problems. Im thinking that maybe the hen kept them in line, or maybe they picked on the Serama as they are soooo small.

Are keets usually this aggressive?

I separated them, but if this is something that they have picked up at an early age, its cull city for these keets!

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

I have never had that problem before - we hatch them at the same time. The only difference is the keets are smaller than our chicks. Are the Serama's smaller than the keets?

Steve

 

[hikerchick]

I have two brooders side by side; one has 5 week old keets and the other has week old chicks. The keets fly into the chick box whenever they feel like it but they have never bothered the chicks.

 

[BluegrassSeramas]

The seramas are very small. At least half the size of the younger day old keets.

Im just worried that I will always have these aggressive guineas. I dont have any bigger chicks to put them with to show them a lesson in manners.

Not sure what to do! I guess I'll see if there is one, or if they are picking on eachother.

Im soooo depressed about losing my Seramas. This was one of the more successful hatches with the incubator!

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

I was thinking that was why the keets picked on them because they are so much smaller

Steve

 

[Kev]

I have seen advise to brood guineas separate from other species, even if same age. They do have somewhat of a reputation for being 'aggressive peckers'- biting eyelids, toes etc.

Having batches of different ages is usually not a good idea, especially with a week or more difference between them but a lot of people do this.

There are always going to be people who say they never have any problems with them but it's also a fact that people DO experience problems with them. Suppose with guineas one just never knows what will happen each time or in a situation.

 

[BluegrassSeramas]

I try to stagger my hatches every two days so that I get all the chicks within a week or so, I just happen to have a few guinea eggs in there.

I guess I will keep them separated for good and see if they are going to leave each other alone....
I didnt know that some consider them 'agressive peckers'. I wish I would have known yesterday...

Thanks for all the info.

I hope all my chicks can heal and start walking and not flip over. Im hoping the survivors are doing better when I get out of classes.

 

[briarpatchfarms]

i kept my guinea keets in with my serama chicks and they never bothered them!

maybe it was a bad idea to let you hatch them out oops! I feel bad now!

 

[Debbienmousey]

I keep my keets with chicks often and my keets have NEVER attacked or killed any chicks. I know it will be different for everyone, but my guineas are not violent. I've never had day old keets in with day old chicks though. Mine have always been at least 1 week old.

Could it be that the Serama chicks were sick? Did the keets have enough food/did they know what the food was? The first day or two after hatching the keets would bite at each others toes, but once they figured out where the food was they stopped biting.

But for now anyway, I'd keep the keets separate. I would not suggest culling them, most likely they aren't as vicious as you think. Try putting the keets in with slightly older chicks. They should be fine together. If anything I've had my keets picked on by the chicks.

Good luck and I hope your injured babies survive

 

[SeramaLife]

So sorry! I will never, ever keep any of the evil guineas that the rest of the family adores with my seramas!!!!!!!!