- Oct 9, 2014
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We started with guineas earlier this year, adopting two adult flocks that we gradually introduced to one another. One group is laid-back, and the other tends to be a bit more "nervous." Both produced keets. The first group of keets (from the more "nervous" parents) is 12 weeks old this week. We tried to incorporate them into the adult flock at about 8 weeks of age, but the adults started chasing and pecking them. As they are fully feathered and rather flightly, they flew off into nearby woods. Held my breath until they got back that night, but get back they did. Four weeks later, I feel like I'm ready to try again. (I also really need to, as my second group of keets is 3 weeks old and - once fully feathered - will need to move into the smaller coop now occupied by the "tweens." And I'd like to get the "tweens" used to going into the big chicken house before the snows start to fly.) Any pointers on the best way to accomplish this?
Just for some additional context, we have a large chicken house (up to 75 layers) for the adult birds, which is contained in an area enclosed by electric poultry netting that is about 300 feet in diameter. The house sits off the ground and has wire mesh flooring, so we cannot go in ourselves, and we cannot easily put a smaller coop into the larger one. The 12-week-old birds are in a separate but adjacent pen, about 100 feet in diameter - so they see their parents, but don't interact. The younger birds largely stay within their small coop and run at the center of that smaller pen.
Just for some additional context, we have a large chicken house (up to 75 layers) for the adult birds, which is contained in an area enclosed by electric poultry netting that is about 300 feet in diameter. The house sits off the ground and has wire mesh flooring, so we cannot go in ourselves, and we cannot easily put a smaller coop into the larger one. The 12-week-old birds are in a separate but adjacent pen, about 100 feet in diameter - so they see their parents, but don't interact. The younger birds largely stay within their small coop and run at the center of that smaller pen.
