Raising keets with chicks

[chillst1]

Hoping to raise a couple keets in my new brood of 6 chicks. How old should the keets be when I introduce them. Should they be young or can they be 3 or so weeks old? I'm noticing these guinea meets are a whole lot more "flighty" than chicks.

Or should I put the 3 week old keets in the coop with my 2 month old buddies?

I don't want to set either animal up for being bullied.

Many thanks for any advice.

 

[R2elk]

Hoping to raise a couple keets in my new brood of 6 chicks. How old should the keets be when I introduce them. Should they be young or can they be 3 or so weeks old? I'm noticing these guinea meets are a whole lot more "flighty" than chicks.

Or should I put the 3 week old keets in the coop with my 2 month old buddies?

I don't want to set either animal up for being bullied.

Many thanks for any advice.

I don't recommend raising keets with chicks due to the problems that imprinting causes later on. I also do not recommend having fewer than 10 guineas. Guineas are a flock bird and do best in large groups.

 

[chillst1]

I don't recommend raising keets with chicks due to the problems that imprinting causes later on. I also do not recommend having fewer than 10 guineas. Guineas are a flock bird and do best in large groups.

What kind of imprinting issues do you speak of?

 

[R2elk]

What kind of imprinting issues do you speak of?

Imprinting by chickens causes the guineas to lose the ability to understand that chickens are not guineas. Guineas have different behaviors than any other poultry. Everything can seem to be fine until the first breeding season. The guinea races and chases, attacks from behind with the feather pulling and feather breaking can greatly stress out other poultry which cannot understand why the guineas are attacking them.

 

[chillst1]

Imprinting by chickens causes the guineas to lose the ability to understand that chickens are not guineas. Guineas have different behaviors than any other poultry. Everything can seem to be fine until the first breeding season. The guinea races and chases, attacks from behind with the feather pulling and feather breaking can greatly stress out other poultry which cannot understand why the guineas are attacking them.

Thank you for the advice and sharing your knowledge.