New (to me) keets!!

[Fishbone]

I finally got some...only 6 pearls!

I'll get more from a different source.
Seller said they were 2 or 3 weeks old and they're mostly feathered!

VERY lively, one escaped before I could get it into the make shift brooder in the spare room!
I stood back, it peeped/chirped like someone was killing it!!
It ran towards it's siblings and I scooped it up.

I just learned something, my brooder needs a top!
That puppy playpen I bought for $8 at a yard sale won't work...no top, these little buggers can fly!.
So I left them in the dog carrier I used to get carry them home, but every time I bent down to look at them, they ran to the back, cuddled up to hide.

OK, plan B, I ran outside got the Rubbermaid tote I use on the hitch carrier, it's about 20"x38", lay-ed down an old towel, put the puppy play pen on top for a lid.
Put the water-er in there and left them alone for a while.
Within 15 minutes they were acting like they were at home...peeping to each other, drinking, walking around their 'new digs'
So I opened up the bag and to put some food down...that's when the dog came running in...the peeping noise was 'interesting' for them, but that feed bag opening, that's a sound they know!

My young lab just looked at the carrier, looked at the feed bag...back and forth, interested, but hungry, what's that peeping noise? I'm hungry!
After I put to food down for the keets, it didn't take long to realize a couple of them were more interested in scratching it out and let it pile up on the floor!
Plan B, let them eat, then remove the food until I get something they can't empty out!

Now I have a couple of questions:
1. When can I use shavings?
I had to scoop out most of shavings after reading it's not good for them...they were pecking at it.
2. Would 1month or 2 month old keets get along?
3. Some have more stripes around their eyes than others. Are they younger/older, different parents??

I'll have them outside soon, I just wanted them in a brooder to get used to me.
Right now they're in a spare room with door with a child/dog proof latch!

Sorry about the bad picture!

 

[PeepsCA]

LOL, congrats on your new babies..,. and capturing the escapee. Yep, you need a top on their brooder tub, lol. They can fly at just a week old. And they are very vocal when stressed or scared, that's normal. It's definitely a learning curve with keets, but hang in there, you are doing great, lol.

I don't use shavings for bedding until I know for sure that they are eating their starter feed well, and are familiar with their feeder. Then 'll put them on clean straw for a week or so and then move them to shavings (after I know their bellies are full,which helps keep them from trying to eat any new bedding material).

And yes they do waste feed, they will scratch it out like little maniacs. The metal 8 hole round feeders or long narrow feeders with the holes on top work good for this age. They do need starter feed 24/7 tho.

Face stripes... can vary from blood line to blood line. Some have creamy off white faces, some have lots of stripes on the sides of their faces... both are normal.

 

[Fishbone]

Thanks Peeps.

I bought a multi-hole feeder, just have figure a way to hang it, or build a cover...they're using as a roost!
I'll do something similar to the water-er, a guess I'll call it a poop shield.
I'm also going to need some puppy diapers...I'm going to run out of towels very soon!

I'll also build a bigger brooder...with a top!

I'm going to a poultry auction tomorrow to buy more, they usually have older birds, over a month old.
Do you think they'll get along?

 

[PeepsCA]

Depending on how much age difference there is between the 2 groups, the bigger/older keets may pick on the younger keets and can also keep them from getting enough to eat and drink, but you could try them together and see how it goes. Keets are usually happier/more comfortable when there are more of them together (except for the time I had a dark batch of keets in my outdoor brooder and I added in a light color batch of keets close in age... they were all freaked out and each color stayed on opposite sides of the brooder for a couple days, cuz they all looked so different to each other, lol). I usually keep any new birds that I bring in from outside sources separated from my other birds for 30 days to make sure they are healthy tho...

 

[Fishbone]

Thanks again Peeps.
My thoughts too, that's why I held off buying older birds.
I ended up buying 5 more!!

They're about the same size, one is a little larger. (More about that one later)
Funny, I brought them in, figured I let them settle down from the excitement of the auction and the ride home, after few minutes in the same room, one from the new flock started peeping, then a little louder, then louder a little louder, then it was two of them peeping....then the first flock chimed in!
I was going to keep them separate, but they seemed healthy, good color, no cloudy eyes, no runny noses!!
I hope I don't regret my decision.

I put them in with first flock, within about 2 minutes they were all eating and drinking together like old buddies!
I kept checking on them and all seems just fine!

The larger keet from the new flock has something wrong with it's toe...I'll open a new thread so others might benefit from the info.

 

[PeepsCA]

Congrats on the new keets, and easy integration. Hope everyone's healthy!!!

Would love to see some pics of them all!