New Flock, Into New Flock!

[Nwygle93]

Good morning! A few months ago I picked up two guinea from our feed store to help with the tick this summer. They are terrible here in Ohio!! They didn’t have as many as I wanted but I took them anyways to get them started. Now I just acquired six new chicks at an auction. As you can see by the pictures, the guineas that were already here are grown quite nicely and are already outside. The chicks are staying in a horse trough In the garage, but come out when it’s nice out. I’ve been bringing them closer to my guineas slowly, and finally have move the cage up to basically touched the guineas coop they are in. The older guineas seem interested in them and not aggressive, but this is the first time I’ve ever had any so I am curious as to how I should integrate these new chicks once they are ready. I would say by looking at them and listening to them, they are probably only a week or two out from ready to go outside? Not real sure. But they are starting to get the pearls on their feathers and I was told that is when they are ready. Any advice is welcome. I don’t want these new chicks torn up.

 

[arkyartist]

I’m contemplating a similar issue. So... following.

 

[50-45-1]

Well, i would start by putting the cage inside the larger pen with the older guineas.
Observe what happens.
Add some escape elements to the pen some tree limbs to fly up and perch on, a bale of hay in the center of the pen, a tipped over wooden chair. With these obsticles, the younger ones can avoid being picked on by the older 2 if necessary.
Set up 2 stations of food and water.
Guineas like to do alot of dodging at each other but rarely do any do real harm. Just watch them for the first couple days.
I think they will be just fine.
As far as letting the younger ones free range. That also might need watching. I have had guineas go walk about never to be seen again. To early, maybe mine had not imprinted to home yet. Another time with young guineas, they wandered out to far in the waist high grass and became disoriented or lost. I looked for them for 3 days. Never did find them. I still feel sad about that.
Good luck!