New keets

[chris93263]

I just picked up my first set of guineas. What color do you think this one will be?

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[chris93263]

Here are all three together

 

[chris93263]

Two of them look just alike

 

[chris93263]

I'm hoping to use them as guard dogs to alert me when there is a snake in my yard. My dogs aren't worth a darn.

 

[nluoma]

We currently have ten keets that are about three days old. They are absolutely adorable, but I'm afraid I'm going to do something wrong--they're so fragile looking!
So, quick summary.
I have them in the house (we don't have a garage, and I'm afraid of predators at night, as well as sudden drops in temperature.) We have them under a heat lamp (on one end of the box, so they can run to the other end if they get too warm.) I have water in a chicken waterer, and a dish of chick starter in there. So far they've figured out where food and water is.
And, since one of our cats is so fascinated with them (we have them behind a 5 foot cardboard "wall", which she has jumped over three times), we've put a rabbit cage over their box to make sure they can't be batted around.
However, they've been peeping constantly and loudly. Is this normal? If it is, I don't mind. I'm just afraid I'm going to ignore them yelling because something is wrong.
And they are absolutely terrified of me. I'm planning on spending a lot of time near them, just getting them used to me. Is this the right approach?
Any advice appreciated!

 

[JanO]

I currently have 6 keets that I hatched in the incubator about 3 weeks ago. Believe me, they are not as fragile as they look, and they grow FAST! Mine are in with 7 chicks that hatched at the same time and are now twice the size as the chicks are. 3 weeks ago it was the opposite. They were tiny compared to the chicks. I will be setting more eggs in the incubator as soon as I can get more eggs because I don't think they do well as a flock when there are less than 10 or 15. I'm actually going to hatch as many as I can this summer. There will be a little age difference, but I don't think that will matter.

Are you feeding them regular chick starter or game bird starter? They need more protein than regular chicks so I'd feed game bird starter.

Yes, they are noisy and it doesn't seem to ever stop. Mine are being brooded in the coop and every time I go out to feed they freak out and only get louder. However they have learned that my presence means food, and they love to eat. I don't know if you can actually convince a guinea to not be spastic around people, but you can try. From what I've read and learned in BYC they just don't have the capability to settle down and not be terrified of anything or anyone that invades their space. It's just not in their nature.

 

[chris93263]

I have the heat lamp above the brooder by a couple feet and at night I cover the brooder with a towel. If its dark, they are quiet.

 

[JLeigh]

You have Pearl Gray keets. . The temperature should start at 95 degrees F for one week, then lower the temp by 5 degrees each week until they're six (or seven) weeks old. They need a game bird starter food with a minimum protein content of 26%. I buy Purina Game Bird Chow Starter and Grower. It's a crumble and has 30% protein.

Keets should be quiet some of the day. If they're cold, hungry...they'll peep constantly. They shouldn't be huddled all the time. But they peep A LOT when everything is all as it should be. I have mine in brooders in the front bedroom where I can close the door.

I've never had keets get used to me. They scramble like mice when I change bedding, water & food every day. When they're older you'll be able to spend time with them giving them treats - then they'll start to get used to you and take food out of your hands. A guinea is likely to never want or allow you to touch them. Mine will walk right up to me, get under my feet, etc., but the minute I reach out to touch them, they freak. They're still wild animals with all of their wild instincts intact, and are naturally afraid of anything "predator" which is just about everything. It takes time and patience for them to learn that you don't mean them any harm.

 

[chris93263]

Thanks!

 

[gunnz23]

I picked up 8 day olds. It's almost been 2 weeks and they are starting to mellow out a bit when I am feeding them. They are at least if not bigger then the day old chicks I got 2 days before them. Have them separate for now except when I clean out there brooder as the chicks are on 18% chick starter and they guinea's are on 27% turkey starter.