How do you 'tame' your keets?

[MillerBirds]

I have 2 Guniea keets that we bought at an auction last week. I am not sure of their age, but they are the same size as our 3 week old peachicks so maybe same?
They are both incredibly skiddish and resist being held. Want to tame them so when we actually introduce them to the yard they will not run. I did just read about cooping them for 6-10 weeks prior to letting them free range so maybe that will be the trick. When do I remove them from the brooding box and introduce them to my mixed flock of 40+ chickens, ducks, goose?

 

[billfields]

We started with 7 last year. They were about a week old when we got them and despite being exposed to people they remained really flighty while they were in the coop (we kept the in it for 8 weeks) Interestingly once they started to free range they got better. Now (they were a year old in May) they follow us around, will eat from out hands and occasionally even allow us to pick them up. Trying to handle them at all as youngster would have them all screaming "Bad touch, BAD TOUCH!!"

Go figure!

We have 10 more arriving nest week. Will be interesting to see if they are the same.

 

[MillerBirds]

Yes, mine completely freak out when I try to pet them/hold them. Hoping they follow your trend. Mine are currently inside in a storage bin and heat lamp (my brooder). They are great as long as I do not interact with them.

 

[billfields]

I think it's just how they are---they're not chickens, they seem a lot closer to being wild so I think some of that crazy as babies is part of a flight instinct maybe. But they are great fun---ours are collectively named Gus. Can't imagine our place without Gus now....two or three times a day Gus is at the door demanding bread. But ONLY white bread, no whole wheat, no rye, no biscuits just your plain basic white bread. Wouldn't think Gus would care but in fact, Gus cares very much that the bread be correct. Actually Gus cares very much that EVERYTHING fit Gus' concept of correct. And if not Gus lets you know. Loudly.

Good luck with yours. Don't know what kind of space you have but you might consider a few more. Since Gus has been loose on our three acres we have seen two ticks.

 

[JLeigh]

You can acclimate guineas to accept humans - especially the humans they're used to - by offering treats and by just hanging out with them. I occasionally sit in my pens with my guineas and just, well, sit there and offer their favorite treat from my hand. Now they'll take it pretty easily but it took time. I also noticed a difference between their behavior as keets and adults. Adults were easier IMO.

I don't try to touch them or pick them up, but over a few months, they came up to me for treats with some enthusiasm. They walk by me with no concern. If I move too quickly or reach out for them, they'll run away. If I try to pick them up - they freak.

billfields is right - they aren't chickens and aren't even close to being domesticated but you can work with them over time and they'll learn to see you as a kid's ice cream truck equivalent . Beware though - I fed my guineas on the porch, and they learned pretty fast that they could come onto the porch any time they wanted. I was cleaning guinea poop off the porch daily.

There is a difference between "tame" and "domesticated". Dogs and cats are domesticated, chickens are too, but guineas are still wild. I use tigers as a comparison. You can tame them but you always have to respect that they're wild instincts are intact (or else) and can/will kick in at any time. Tigers are predators (which is why nobody in my neighborhood has any LOL) and kill for food. Guineas are prey animals and have "flight" instincts - not fight. Anything coming at them from above, or too fast, or too unusual, is an immediate threat of death - your dogs and cats, an owl, a raccoon, an unfamiliar person, small children (like my over-active grandsons LOL) ...etc. That's why I prefer the word "acclimating" to "tame". You can tame a tiger, and elephant, a skunk even, but it's really really hard to tame a prey animal with all their wild instincts working on them constantly - especially one that is as intellectually challenged as a guinea. Time and patience is the key.

Introducing new fowl to a flock is relatively easy. Put them in an enclosure separated by chicken wire and let everybody see, smell, hear each other, but are still protected by the wire. After a week, two or three, they should be fine together, but supervise! and be ready to intervene if it doesn't go well. If it doesn't wait a few days to a week and try again. They'll figure it out eventually.

You have a nice sized flock, but you still need more guineas in my opinion. Guineas like to stick together, and they'll be okay with other species, but they're happiest with their own kind. I agree with billfields again - if you can manage to keep around 10, that would be ideal. And, yes, 8-10 weeks is good for programming them to know where home is.

 

[Sandshaven]

Guineas are able to be tamed but they do have a wild side. We have 2 therapy flocks all 28 guinea fowl. We are able to hold and pet them. Lift wings and inspect legs and feet. We can call them with bells.

 

[MillerBirds]

Wonderful responses. Thank you everyone.

 

[Johanne]

Last Saturday night, one of our guinea hens did not come in while the other did. We worried all night but she showed up in the morning. Sunday night again she didn’t go in the coop but showed up on Monday morning. Around noontime, I heard the two of them making such a racket that I rushed outside with my golden retriever to see if a predator was after them. Then one of them trotted off into the woods. I slowly followed her through the underbrush for several yards and them came upon a nest with between 20 and 30 eggs in it. She proceeded to sit on the eggs, and I left and did not disturb her. Tuesday morning she didn’t show up and I was worried that someone got her and ate her eggs. So I went through the woods once again and heard her making little chirping noises, which led me right to her.
Question: I'm not sure whether or not to leave her there with her eggs or if I should remove them and put them with my bantam hens to hatch. I don't know if the guinea hen will be attacked by something in the woods or not, since we already lost one to a predator.

 

[Sandshaven]

In my opinion... I would not leave her there. You will probably not have her long if you do.

 

[JLeigh]

Last Saturday night, one of our guinea hens did not come in while the other did. We worried all night but she showed up in the morning. Sunday night again she didn’t go in the coop but showed up on Monday morning. Around noontime, I heard the two of them making such a racket that I rushed outside with my golden retriever to see if a predator was after them. Then one of them trotted off into the woods. I slowly followed her through the underbrush for several yards and them came upon a nest with between 20 and 30 eggs in it. She proceeded to sit on the eggs, and I left and did not disturb her. Tuesday morning she didn’t show up and I was worried that someone got her and ate her eggs. So I went through the woods once again and heard her making little chirping noises, which led me right to her.
Question: I'm not sure whether or not to leave her there with her eggs or if I should remove them and put them with my bantam hens to hatch. I don't know if the guinea hen will be attacked by something in the woods or not, since we already lost one to a predator.

If you definitely want keets from those eggs and you're set up for it, then take the eggs and hatch them out yourself. Second choice is to put them under the bantam hen if you don't have an incubator. There is a better than 50% chance the hen and the eggs will be taken by a predator if she sits on them herself in the woods. Mark a few and leave them in the nest so she'll continue to lay eggs there rather than making a new nest you may not be able to find before a predator.