Question about Mixing young guineas

[eggcited2]

Tomorrow I am going to pick up two different groups of young guineas. I do not know the ages of them, but I think they are maybe 3-4 months old.

I am getting 5 keets from one person (she said they are "outside" on grass). The other group I am getting are 10 French guinea keets from another person. She too says hers are living outside in cages.

I have a small pen for the 5 (4'L X 3'W) and a larger pen for the 10 (4'L X 4 1/2'W). Both pens are inside my barn for shelter.

Do I need to get both groups separated or could they be combined in just one of the pens?

I only plan on keeping them in the pen or pens for about a month. To let them learn where home is and also let my grown guineas get used to them. (this is how I have done it the past three years and it has always worked out fine)
This information is to try to help you guys understand what is all going on and why.

My main question is about if I can combine the two groups of them or do they have to go into the two separate pens?

 

[QueenMisha]

As long as they are of a similar size and age you shouldn't have a problem.

Edit: I did not pay close attention to the exact size of your runs and R2elk is correct, those areas are far too small.

 

[R2elk]

Tomorrow I am going to pick up two different groups of young guineas. I do not know the ages of them, but I think they are maybe 3-4 months old.

I am getting 5 keets from one person (she said they are "outside" on grass). The other group I am getting are 10 French guinea keets from another person. She too says hers are living outside in cages.

I have a small pen for the 5 (4'L X 3'W) and a larger pen for the 10 (4'L X 4 1/2'W). Both pens are inside my barn for shelter.

Do I need to get both groups separated or could they be combined in just one of the pens?

I only plan on keeping them in the pen or pens for about a month. To let them learn where home is and also let my grown guineas get used to them. (this is how I have done it the past three years and it has always worked out fine)
This information is to try to help you guys understand what is all going on and why.

My main question is about if I can combine the two groups of them or do they have to go into the two separate pens?

My opinion is that neither of your cages are big enough to house that many guineas. For 15 guineas you really need a minimum of 60 sq. ft. of free floor space in addition to the space taken up by the feeder and water container. Three to four month old guineas aren't that much smaller than adults. You want to put 5 in an area that only has a total of 12 sq. ft. when they should have a minimum of 20 sq. ft. and another 10 in an area that has a total of 18 sq. ft. when they should have a minimum of 40 sq. ft. and you want to know if its okay to stuff the other 5 in there too.

These are guineas, you can't keep them in such tight quarters. The five could probably get by for a short time in the larger cage. The other ten need a much bigger pen than you have. If you make a pen with at least 60 sq. ft. of floor space you could probably put all 15 together.

 

[eggcited2]

If they are only going to be kept in there for not over a month, is it still to small? After that they have full access to the barn (30 ft X 40ft) for shelter and free range for everything else. We have six acres but are surrounded by a couple hundred acres that they can run around on.

I didn't know if you are telling me that a short time is not ok, or if you thought I am meaning to keep them in those small areas for a long time.
(Just confused here on which you meant.)

They are both no smaller than the cages the breeders are keeping them in now. The one breeder has some six month old keets in cages that size. (looks live several older in a small cage)

 

[R2elk]

If they are only going to be kept in there for not over a month, is it still to small? After that they have full access to the barn (30 ft X 40ft) for shelter and free range for everything else. We have six acres but are surrounded by a couple hundred acres that they can run around on.

I didn't know if you are telling me that a short time is not ok, or if you thought I am meaning to keep them in those small areas for a long time.
(Just confused here on which you meant.)

They are both no smaller than the cages the breeders are keeping them in now. The one breeder has some six month old keets in cages that size. (looks live several older in a small cage)

I mean that if you try to keep that many guineas in that small an area for a month they will be far too crowded. Just because someone else is crowding their guineas too much does not mean it is good for the guineas. I personally would not buy from a breeder that keeps his guineas in small cages. Your breeder isn't doing that for the good of the guineas. That person is doing it for their convenience only

The smallest size area that I keep keets in is a 16 sq. ft. brooder and only for up to the first two weeks. Any that are remaining in my possession after the age of two weeks go into a grow out pen that is approximately 66 sq. ft. I very rarely keep more than 6 keets in there and never past the age of 6 weeks.