Keets in with adult hens

[deedee1]

My keets are 6 weeks old today, they have in the coop inside a cage for 2 weeks. My question is when will it be safe to "turn them out" with the adult hens?

 

[HEChicken]

Mine are also 6 weeks old this week! I've had them in with the flock for about two weeks now and they all seem to be doing fine. My situation was a little different in that we were moving and I had to move my birds from the coop at our old house to the new house. So I moved the keets and younger chicks first and left the adult hens until last. That way, the hens were coming into territory that was already "owned" by the younger birds. They also have a large (10x14) coop and an even larger (240x60) yard, and I've found that the more space there is for them to get out of each other's way, the fewer problems I have. So far, I have seen only the occasional peck by one of the adult hens in the direction of a keet - nothing serious at all. The worst time is bedtime when there is tremendous competition to get the best roosts. The adults feel the highest roost is rightfully theirs due to age while the keets feel it is theirs because, well, because they are guineas and guineas like to roost as high as they can get. There is lots of squabbling at bed time but eventually they all settle down.

 

[deedee1]

Thank you so much!!! I will be opening up the cage today after I get back from taking the 4 kiddo's to their dentist appointment today

. That way I will be able to sit back and observe all of them for awhile. We have a very large coop and an extra large run area for them all. We also have a small coop and small run area for the baby chicks. I am so excited about letting the keets out to roam in the run

. Thanks again for the help.

 

[flewdacoop]

let us know how it goes

 

[deedee1]

ok just turned the keets in with the hens....... past 20 min all is going well so far only 1hen has pecked on 1 so far. the big girls just seem to act as if the keets aren't even there. I still plan on keeping a close eye. thanks for the advice Hechicken

 

[HEChicken]

You're welcome - glad it is working out for you! I really enjoy watching my keets - they are such funny little things. One will find a sprig of greenery that becomes "The Prize" and they all will chase after, with it changing "hands" multiple times before it is consumed. What makes it so funny is that the chase is conducted over more of the exact same foliage but the sprig in the beak is the sprig they all want!

 

[deedee1]

I am so happy my keets are still doing great in with the big girls!!!! I just checked on all. . . . .. .they were all resting in the shade together. I was so worried because I had tried to mix my chicks (5 weeks old) in with the hens and not such luck .. . I am not sure why there is only 1 week difference in the ages. I am new to the chicken world but have already became an addict

. I am not sure how long I will need to keep close supervision on them.