New to guineas, couple questions

[Foghorn Mike]

I am getting about 10 keets soon. I have a 8x10 building that I have converted into a coop. Attached to that is a large outside area , old 14 x 30 dog run, accessed by a trap door. Then I have about 5 acres of free range area. Inside the 8x10 I have made a 44''x20'' brooder with a light. I can maintain 90+ degrees under the light even on a cool 60 degree night. My question is this, the 8x10 building will range 70-85 degrees. The brooder has been designed so that I can take out one section, so they can have full access to the 8x10 building. I know I need to keep them cooped for about 6 weeks, but how soon can I take out that section of the brooder so they can roam the 8x10? I will continue to leave the light on and would guess if they got cool at night, they would go back to the lighted area.

Thanks

 

[robin416]

I think its going to depend on where that divider is located.

Guineas are odd creatures when it comes to some things. One of them is panic when they can't go through a wall where they can see the others. If a full side can be removed and left open so there can be no confusion that is safest for them to find their way back to the light.

If you could post a pic of the brooder and the section that can be removed it would be helpful in making this more clear.

 

[Foghorn Mike]

I don't have a pic available but I should be able to explain it pretty well. The 44''x20'' brooder is built into a corner of the 8x10. It basically makes a rectangle box in one corner of the building. I would be removing the front 44'' panel exposing the entire 8x10 area. There wouldn't be any area where one couldn't get to the other. I would still leave the light where it had always been, I'm just wondering at what week I could open that area up and I assume they would go back to the lighted area if they got cool or no?

I can snap a pic if it is still fuzzy.

 

[robin416]

I'll let you know later how mine did. They are a week old. Are in a 4X4 pen with a cage in it. I pulled the cage earlier, now they have access to the entire 4X4 foot area.

I think it would be OK, especially if you or someone could check on the them several times a day. If the "I'm stressed" cry is heard then you can always go back to keeping them enclosed for a bit longer.

 

[robin416]

Here is my report on how the keets are doing with more room to venture in. When I went out they were taking an afternoon nap in a circle around their light. So in a 4X4 area they found their way back without an issue.

When I first removed the cage they stuck to what they knew. As the hours wore on they made little ventures away and then would return.

 

[Finn's Mom]

My keets were in a 2 x 4 brooder for the first 3 weeks and had the 250 watt bulb at one end at various heights until I downgraded it to a red 85 watt flood light at the beginning of the 4th week along with the move to the 6 x 2 brooder that my chicks vacated. In hindsight, I think they appreciated the coziness of their brooder when they were really small (and they are really small in the beginning) My coop set up sounds much like yours though my keets are in the garage right now. Given the option I'd put them in their coop (it's not here yet

) without the brooder area this weekend based on their feathers, size and outdoor temps (hot, finally) -- so that's just about 5 weeks old for us in a perfect world. I think the reality will be next weekend, at 6 weeks though. They do not accept change readily (the ruckus over the bigger waterer was comical) so I am expecting protest in any case.