Mixing Keet Ages

[OliverAndCo]

I am trying to start my first flock of guineas. I have two 4-5 week old keets left out of the 6 I originally brought home (black snake...), and I am getting six freshly hatched keets in a couple days to replenish the flock.
I have the 2 older ones in a 2x3 garden shed converted to a coop. The brooder lamp is already setup inside, and there is a roosting ladder that they've been sitting up on for a couple weeks already. The coop opens up (openings are currently shut but could be opened) to a fully enclosed 8x8 walk-in cage.

My question is: will the old ones hurt/kill the days-old keets if I just put them in with them? Or will they mesh together and bond? I thought about building some sort of sheltered roost in the enclosed cage, but they're probably not big enough yet to stay out there, right? They've already been off the lamp for a week or two since it's been warm enough, but rain (and snakes ) could be an issue.

 

[CluckyandPeepsFlock]

Hello, and welcome to BYC!

Day old keets are so small... I would keep them separated for the meantime.
If it's possible, I recommend creating a set up to where the older keets can see the new keets but not able to reach them, for example a barrier like hardware cloth.

 

[OliverAndCo]

Hello, and welcome to BYC!

Day old keets are so small... I would keep them separated for the meantime.
If it's possible, I recommend creating a set up to where the older keets can see the new keets but not able to reach them, for example a barrier like hardware cloth.

Thank you!
I considered this, maybe cornering off a part at the bottom and just hope the new ones don't get pooped on too much. 2 small guineas sure do poop a lot
Here is a picture of the inside for reference. Quite the pair aren't they?
I think maybe hardware cloth-ing off the half of the floor where the lamp is could work. The problem is that the 2 I have are so skittish that doing any sort of work in there would just send them flying out the back door and off into the woods into the waiting jaws of a coyote. Which.... I suppose would solve my whole problem but I digress.
I decided to open the upper door to their cage and see if they go outside. If so, I can get to work dividing it and changing out the bedding.

 

[HeritageFan]

I’ve never had guinies, but I do have heritage turkeys that are very proficient at flying at a young age....
Can you clip a wing so they can’t fly well enough to escape the run?
Is the run covered?
....and what can you do to mitigate the snake problem?

I keep my “smalls” (we also have ducks) in the house for the first few days at least.
Turkeys are great. But not the sharpest tools in the shed as hatchlings. I like to see that they are eating and drinking well before I move them somewhere with less consistent supervision. Raising them with the ducklings early on is a pain (the ducklings make a huge mess w their water, but, IMO it’s worth it because the turkeys learn to drink well and often....)
I have an outdoor brooder w a “mama heating pad” set up- there are 2 side by side, w hardware cloth between and a little door I can open to let the younger babies go see the “big kids” if they want (once I feel like they are ready), and I can adjust the height of the door so the smaller ones can get away from the older birds as needed.
I agree that the best bet would be to set up some sort of a pen for the new babies, so the older two can see them but not get to them.
You might look up the “momma heating pad” thread here and see if that might be an option for you.
If you don’t need to have the heat light- you can put something over the top of the babies’ spot to keep the big kids from pooping on them :/
A piece of corrugated plastic, metal, plywood....even cardboard as long as you swap it out when it gets too gross...?
Or, put a dog/ cat crate in there (again, the heat light wouldn’t work- I’m just trying to brainstorm what I might try....)
I don’t imagine you have a lot of room to work with under the ladder but .... I also don’t know whether you have the time and materials available to build something that is custom, and accessible for cleaning.

As a side note, IDK where you live, but, what have you done to add ventilation for the birds in the plastic shed ?

I live in the PNW and even here, those suckers get HOT in the sun!

 

[R2elk]

I am trying to start my first flock of guineas. I have two 4-5 week old keets left out of the 6 I originally brought home (black snake...), and I am getting six freshly hatched keets in a couple days to replenish the flock.
I have the 2 older ones in a 2x3 garden shed converted to a coop. The brooder lamp is already setup inside, and there is a roosting ladder that they've been sitting up on for a couple weeks already. The coop opens up (openings are currently shut but could be opened) to a fully enclosed 8x8 walk-in cage.

My question is: will the old ones hurt/kill the days-old keets if I just put them in with them? Or will they mesh together and bond? I thought about building some sort of sheltered roost in the enclosed cage, but they're probably not big enough yet to stay out there, right? They've already been off the lamp for a week or two since it's been warm enough, but rain (and snakes ) could be an issue.

I would not try to put the keets together until the youngest ones are at least two weeks old. They should be in a brooder for the first 2 weeks.