Making introductions

[My2butterflies]

Lavenders will be 8 weeks Monday, so I tried introductions...

The Pearls just want to chase them. Well, not chase like the mating season chase, where they dash around the yard like lunatics. Just short charges to make the lavs run away. For their part, it seems like the lavs are very much interested in being part of the group - they hang around, circle back, follow at distance, etc. The ones that were still confined stayed near the walls, and the pearls would peck at the hardware cloth.

Doesn't seem like that went well. The lavs are still pretty small comparatively, and the pearl keets are nearly adult sized. Guessing it's because the group is so heavily juvenile...

Are your 8wk olds kept with the others full time now? Or still separated when you aren’t around to supervise?
My keets are 7wks old and only have open interactions with one female adult guinea. Since her leg is still recovering she can’t run, but will peck at any young ones that go near her. The little ones hangout with her in the coop and in the fence outside. They haven’t been free ranging yet.

My husband keeps telling me I’m babying them too much and should stop penning them separate from the adults at night... I’m just not sure if it’s too soon?

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Are your 8wk olds kept with the others full time now? Or still separated when you aren’t around to supervise?
My keets are 7wks old and only have open interactions with one female adult guinea. Since her leg is still recovering she can’t run, but will peck at any young ones that go near her. The little ones hangout with her in the coop and in the fence outside. They haven’t been free ranging yet.

My husband keeps telling me I’m babying them too much and should stop penning them separate from the adults at night... I’m just not sure if it’s too soon?

How is your girl with the bum leg?

 

[My2butterflies]

How is your girl with the bum leg?

She is walking, but tries to keep weight off her left leg. So whatever happened, it’s the left leg that’s bothering her. She chooses to stay inside the coop over going outside most of the time. Probably because I pick her up and bring her back to the coop if she goes to far.
Each day is a little better

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

She is walking, but tries to keep weight off her left leg. So whatever happened, it’s the left leg that’s bothering her. She chooses to stay inside the coop over going outside most of the time. Probably because I pick her up and bring her back to the coop if she goes to far.
Each day is a little better

I’m glad to hear that she’s getting better! What a scary night that storm was! I’m having a hard time imagining mine consenting to me carrying them...

 

[EarlJ]

The 13 week old Pearls free range with the adult, the 8 week old Lavenders are only out of their enclosure a little bit, and only when I'm around. I've gotten overprotective...

About a week ago, one of the adults and 2 juveniles didn't show up to be put away. Tonight, another juvenile was a no-show. I was thinking maybe the adult started sitting on a nest and the young ones stayed with her... but I haven't seen or heard them since so I've been worried.

No bodies by the roadside, no nighttime predation, and I think daytime aerial predation is unlikely. I'm not sure what's going on, but I've gone from 8 free ranging to 4 so I haven't been eager to let the Lavs out too much.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

The 13 week old Pearls free range with the adult, the 8 week old Lavenders are only out of their enclosure a little bit, and only when I'm around. I've gotten overprotective...

About a week ago, one of the adults and 2 juveniles didn't show up to be put away. Tonight, another juvenile was a no-show. I was thinking maybe the adult started sitting on a nest and the young ones stayed with her... but I haven't seen or heard them since so I've been worried.

No bodies by the roadside, no nighttime predation, and I think daytime aerial predation is unlikely. I'm not sure what's going on, but I've gone from 8 free ranging to 4 so I haven't been eager to let the Lavs out too much.

Oh no! What a sickening feeling when they don’t come home...

 

[My2butterflies]

So sad! I hope they turn up or that at the very least you are able to find out what happened. The unknown is so frustrating!

 

[R2elk]

I kept one Coral Blue keet this year. It was hatched on July the 1st or 2nd. When it was approximately a month old, I moved it into my temporary introduction cage in the guinea coop. Today, approximately a month later, I opened the door to its cage and let things happen without watching or interfering. I did see it in the weeds around midday keeping its distance from the adults.

After herding the adults into the coop this evening, I went searching for the keet. It was sitting in some grass and very calm. I herded it to the coop (first time ever being herded), and it went right in without any hesitation. I was amazed that not one of the adults offered to peck at it. After gathering their eggs, I went back to the coop and watched it fly up to a roost and settle in right beside one of the male adults. I really was surprised that the male did not even try to peck at it.

It appears to have been a successful introduction. I intend to remove the introduction cage tomorrow.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I kept one Coral Blue keet this year. It was hatched on July the 1st or 2nd. When it was approximately a month old, I moved it into my temporary introduction cage in the guinea coop. Today, approximately a month later, I opened the door to its cage and let things happen without watching or interfering. I did see it in the weeds around midday keeping its distance from the adults.

After herding the adults into the coop this evening, I went searching for the keet. It was sitting in some grass and very calm. I herded it to the coop (first time ever being herded), and it went right in without any hesitation. I was amazed that not one of the adults offered to peck at it. After gathering their eggs, I went back to the coop and watched it fly up to a roost and settle in right beside one of the male adults. I really was surprised that the male did not even try to peck at it.

It appears to have been a successful introduction. I intend to remove the introduction cage tomorrow.

That’s excellent!!! How did you end of with a single keet? Did you plan it that way?

 

[R2elk]

That’s excellent!!! How did you end of with a single keet? Did you plan it that way?

It was intentional. I don't have room for a lot more. I sold all the rest of the keets. This one was the biggest Coral Blue of the group. I am hoping it is a male. At two months old it has never buckwheated even when cooped up alone while the adults were outside.

Poor confused keet was raised with 10 poults for the first four weeks and now has spent the last 4 weeks alone surrounded at first by adults that were trying to kill through the cage wire. Only during the last few days did they stop pecking at the cage wire.