How To Keep Keets Clean?

[R2elk]

oh wow i didn’t know that! i’ll keep a note of that as well for future reference if i happen to get more chicks and keets. if i were to raise them together would you suggest separating them before the breeding season? currently all our adult guineas are free range and only our chickens are kept in a coop/fenced area so once the keets were old enough they would be separated anyways but would breeding season come before they’re old enough to be released to the rest of the flock?

Breeding season is usually the spring after they are hatched. The farther south a person lives, the earlier that breeding season can begin including the fall of the same year they were hatched.

 

[newb1rdmom]

Breeding season is usually the spring after they are hatched. The farther south a person lives, the earlier that breeding season can begin including the fall of the same year they were hatched.

Oh my. I live in Texas so would they probably start around the fall this year? They only just hatched a few weeks ago though would it really happen so soon?

 

[R2elk]

Oh my. I live in Texas so would they probably start around the fall this year? They only just hatched a few weeks ago though would it really happen so soon?

It is possible but not guaranteed. I know people that have had young of the year guineas in Texas, that have temporarily laid eggs in November and December.

 

[My2butterflies]

I live up in Minnesota and the guineas I got in May started laying eggs in early September of the same year. They stopped laying in February and started back up late March I think it was.
I had a light in their coop on a timer through the winter.

 

[R2elk]

I live up in Minnesota and the guineas I got in May started laying eggs in early September of the same year. They stopped laying in February and started back up late March I think it was.
I had a light in their coop on a timer through the winter.

The supplemental light was the difference. Mine get no supplemental light and stop laying sometime in October.

 

[My2butterflies]

The supplemental light was the difference. Mine get no supplemental light and stop laying sometime in October.

Do you think it’s harmful at all to give the extra light in the shorter months?
I don’t open the coop door when the temps drop below zero, so we didn’t want to make them live in such dim light from the windows.

 

[R2elk]

Do you think it’s harmful at all to give the extra light in the shorter months?
I don’t open the coop door when the temps drop below zero, so we didn’t want to make them live in such dim light from the windows.

I don't know. My coop has a huge skylight. I also open the guinea door daily and let them choose whether or not to venture out. They seem to venture out for a little every day.

 

[newb1rdmom]

It is possible but not guaranteed. I know people that have had young of the year guineas in Texas, that have temporarily laid eggs in November and December.

Thats.. scary to think about That feels so soon! Will they lay only if they’re in like a well insulated coop? Around the 6 month mark is when you can start letting them out right? If they’re out free ranging will they still lay eggs or only if they stay in the coop?

 

[R2elk]

Thats.. scary to think about That feels so soon! Will they lay only if they’re in like a well insulated coop? Around the 6 month mark is when you can start letting them out right? If they’re out free ranging will they still lay eggs or only if they stay in the coop?

Depending on the weather and time of year, I start letting them out at about 6 weeks.

Whether they are out and about or in a coop doesn't really matter other than you may never find their eggs if they have a hidden nest.

 

[newb1rdmom]

Last night I noticed that two of my white keets had some poo smeared on their wings. Almost as if one had gotten poo’d on and then speared it to the other. I didn’t really know how to clean it off. I tried using a little coconut oil to loosen it up and wipe it away but they were awfully fussy with me so I gave up and wiped what I could off and placed them back down.

It seemed like a pretty liquidy poo and I have noticed that they have had some liquidy poo for a few days. Should I be concerned? I’m wondering if they’re getting too much grit or maybe it’s the treats I’m giving them? I’ve only been giving them grit whenever I give them the treats (because the bag suggests giving the grit when you give the treats) but maybe they are still getting too much? I normally just give them some whenever I mess with their box because they get upset and its like a reward for being good or so they know like me messing with things isn’t a bad thing but it may be too much?

I’ve decided to maybe try and only give them the treats after directly handling them instead of just anytime I mess with their box (changing food/water/etc). Do you think this may help?

& How do I keep their feathers clean if they get poo on them again? Or should I just leave them be?