New babies

[Littlemamaof3]

I just got some baby keets and I'm new to guineas. They are a few days old and I was wondering do they cheep constantly?? It's like they take turns sleeping and chirping lol. They have water and food and a light. They aren't huddling in a corner of the box, just in a pile not directly under the light but close. Surely they aren't too cold as I have them in the bathroom with a heater on. It stays pretty cold in there without it. But do they need more or less heat or what? Just seems like they would all sleep at the same time.

 

[jbirds2012]

hi and congrats !! sounds like ya have it just right. they sleep in a circle because dirrectly under the light is too hot and to far away it is to cold so they pick the sweet spot

 

[Littlemamaof3]

Thanks when I woke up this morning they were quiet so I thought the worst lol but they were all asleep and comfy.

 

[critters]

congrats on your new babies !!

 

[PeepsCA]

It's recommended that the brooder be 95 degrees (measured by placing a thermometer on the floor of the brooder directly under the glow of the light) until they are a week old and then you can lower the temp 5 degrees each week by raising the light up or swapping out to a lower wattage bulb, until brooder temps are equivalent to the ambient temp in the room or where ever you are keeping them as they grow. Make sure the light is only at one end of their brooder so they can get away from the heat if they need to. They will find their own comfort zone. Avoid any sudden drops in temp more than the 5 degrees each week. They are fully feathered at 6 wks old and able to regulate their body temp at that time, but depending how cool your temps are they may need a light/heat source just at night after that for a while longer. Cold keets don't thrive as well as warm keets, so in the cooler months I always try to provide a heat source for them a little longer so that it's there if they need/want it. Congrats on your new babies.

 

[KrisH]

when we started with guineas we picked them up at the post office. they were noisy the first day or so too. it's a good thing we did not have a fire in the house, because they sounded kind of like a smoke alarm! and just as loud

RobertH

 

[Littlemamaof3]

Thanks guys! They are doing really good I put a mirror on the opposite end from the heat light and they have started looking at it lol. I started putting some feed down and then putting grass on top of it, it's fun to watch them scratching around like adults.

 

[KrisH]

do you think they like the mirror because they get to see how totally cute they are?

RobertH

 

[Littlemamaof3]

Lol that could be!

 

[Littlemamaof3]

Keets by blueberry_00_01, on Flickr