My keets, now 2 weeks old, are starting to fly. We are moving them from the brooder space to an intermediate space either today or tomorrow. The new, intermediate space (until we get the big coop done) is a hoop-coop that is 7.5-ft by 12-ft (with 6-ft ceiling). I need some advice about how to set up the new space inside. Right now they have a "Mama-Heating-Pad" (MHP), which they were raised with, that is a cave-like construction of a piece of wire field fence, bent into a mound shape, and covered with the heating pad (now turned off and unplugged) and a towel on top. Most of the day they do not use the MHP anymore, but they try to sleep under still at night, even though they don't all fit under it any more. Also, one or another will scoot under it periodically during the day.
QUESTIONS:
1. what type of bedding etc should I give them in the new larger (intermediate) space? I know we should give them some little roosts to develop onto, but what can I do about their need to still be inside a dark, protected space all huddled together? I was thinking we would move their current brooder (ex-large wire dog crate-- 48x30") inside the new space (raised on bricks) and somehow convert the whole interior into some kind of "safe space".
2. I was thinking of using a clear tarp on top of the hoop coop (as opposed to a dark, solid tarp). I was thinking that since they like to roost in trees that the clear top might be nicer for them.
Here is a picture of the space. The back wall is in place, we will finish the front wall (with people door) today. It is 3 cattle panels bent into a 12-ft-long hoop-coop, all completely covered with hardware cloth. It gets direct sun in the morning but is shaded most of the day, dappled to dark shade. We'll put a waterproof tarp over 2/3 of the length, leaving 4-ft at the front to get weather and sky.
I would move their current brooder inside their new coop, at least for a little while. This way, they will have something familiar and there won't be such a "freak out" session when they move to their new space (it doesn't seem to take much to have Guineas completely lose their minds over new things). I have straw down in some of my coop for the keets. I've had keets try to eat wood shavings, so now avoid that. My keets are now 3 weeks old and are flying into the rafters of the coop (which are about 6-7 feet tall) along with the adults, so it won't be long until yours come out of their "safe space" to roost. As for the top of the coop, I would think that clear plastic would be good as long as it was durable and not easily torn or destroyed by a predator. I would also make sure that it did not let too much light in and get too hot, although it sounds like your coop is mostly in the shade.My keets, now 2 weeks old, are starting to fly. We are moving them from the brooder space to an intermediate space either today or tomorrow. The new, intermediate space (until we get the big coop done) is a hoop-coop that is 7.5-ft by 12-ft (with 6-ft ceiling). I need some advice about how to set up the new space inside. Right now they have a "Mama-Heating-Pad" (MHP), which they were raised with, that is a cave-like construction of a piece of wire field fence, bent into a mound shape, and covered with the heating pad (now turned off and unplugged) and a towel on top. Most of the day they do not use the MHP anymore, but they try to sleep under still at night, even though they don't all fit under it any more. Also, one or another will scoot under it periodically during the day. QUESTIONS: 1. what type of bedding etc should I give them in the new larger (intermediate) space? I know we should give them some little roosts to develop onto, but what can I do about their need to still be inside a dark, protected space all huddled together? I was thinking we would move their current brooder (ex-large wire dog crate-- 48x30") inside the new space (raised on bricks) and somehow convert the whole interior into some kind of "safe space". 2. I was thinking of using a clear tarp on top of the hoop coop (as opposed to a dark, solid tarp). I was thinking that since they like to roost in trees that the clear top might be nicer for them. Here is a picture of the space. The back wall is in place, we will finish the front wall (with people door) today. It is 3 cattle panels bent into a 12-ft-long hoop-coop, all completely covered with hardware cloth. It gets direct sun in the morning but is shaded most of the day, dappled to dark shade. We'll put a waterproof tarp over 2/3 of the length, leaving 4-ft at the front to get weather and sky.
