Question about guinea keets' housing

[shelleyd2008]

I have 3 5-week-old guinea keets. I also have 11 young chickens, BTW jap banties, silkie banties, and OEG banties, averaging around 3 months old. The chicks spend the night in an outdoor tractor, that is covered with plastic, and has a heat light. They free range during the day. I was wondering if it would be ok to put the baby guineas in the tractor with the chicks? They are about the same size, if not bigger than some, and the keets are fully feathered. I was thinking of putting the keets' cage inside the tractor for a few days, then letting them free range with the chicks. Is this a good idea? Or should I wait till they are a little older?

 

[GUIENALADY]

they should be alright together with the chicks. if you can try to supervise theire outings the first few times .

 

[Must Be Losing It]

I've found little guinea keats more agreeable to other birds than chicks are when you add to the brooder so I think you're good.

 

[swampducks]

I've had 48 keets in with 27 chicks for 2 months now. Everyone is getting along fine thus far.

 

[shelleyd2008]

The little chickens free range during the day, are the guinea keets too young?

 

[feathersgalore]

Personally I wouldn't let my guineas out until they have spent at least 6 weeks confined to their home. They need to learn about home otherwise they won't return in the evenings. Guineas take a lot longer to learn this than chickens.

 

[wren]

What great questions! I have many guineas and chickens in together and I'm happy to help.

How many square feet per bird do you have in your tractor? It is important not to crowd the guineas. They are more wild than chickens and won't tolerate overcrowding as well as chickens. Of course I understand that they have the whole outdoors during the day but my 30 guineas squabble over roosting space amongst themselves and they have the whole outdoors and about 100 feet of roosting space. I would build another tractor dedicated to the keets to avoid potential problems.

If you decide to go ahead and put the guineas in a cage in the tractor and release them during the day the chickens will probably try to drive them away and not allow them to drink or eat what you provide. Getting them back unless they stay frozen from fear in the tractor will be nigh impossible.

About the time the guineas reach sexual maturity if they feel crowded, or that they need to fight for food or water they will actively attack the chickens and win.

Keep the guineas locked inside the building you want them to roost overnight in for 6 weeks. That way, you teach them to roost where you want them to live. It takes 6 weeks of being locked in the building to get them to come back to roost at night.

All my best,
K

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
The tractor is just a temporary thing for the baby japs and silkies. They are still pretty young, and I figured i would seperate them, once they reach breeding age. Right now, they all sleep on the floor of the tractor, which is 3'x3'x8'. The only ones that roost are the two OEGB pullets that bunk with them.
I still put a light on the keets, and the japs and silkies for that matter, so that's why I thought I'd put the keets in with them. That way, they wouldn't have to live in a cage, and I would only need the one light (could use the other light for the babies that are gonna hatch

) I hate having animals 'locked up'. All my chickens are free range, except for the mama's with new babies, but they get to free range when the chicks are 1 week old.
My adult guineas have been checking out the keets quite a bit. Idk if that is a good thing or what. I hope they don't terrorize them when I do let them out.
I set the keets' cage out in the yard during the day, and have been putting it back on the covered porch at night. I was planning on doing this, but putting their cage in the tractor instead. How long would I have to put them in the tractor before they could be trusted to go in there on their own? They are just 5 weeks old, and 6 weeks seems like an awfully long time?

 

[feathersgalore]

I keep my keets in a brooder with a light for 6 weeks, then put them in the coop for another 6 weeks. Only after that do I attempt to let me out. If they don't come in they are back in lock up for a couple more weeks. The longer guineas are shut up for the more chance you have they will return once you let them out.

 

[wren]

Six weeks is an awfully long time. It is hard to wait. But if you want them to come back it is a good idea, especially with the pressure from other birds.

My adult guineas do take turns pushing the other young guineas around, but they have not made physical contact with them as far as I've observed. They roost together at night with the older guineas.

Here's something to think about. Since it takes 6 weeks for the keets to learn where home is make sure that the home for the three is a permanent one. Maybe do a cage within a shed? I don't know. It will save a lot of headaches later on. Whatever you decide will be great because you care about the little guys.

Boy do I enjoy seeing them out free. They are a joy to watch aren't they?

K