Sleeping on roost vs floor

[DoeAndGander]

At what age should keets sleep on roost provided? My keets are just over four weeks old. I have a roost in their brooder but for some reason they almost always choose to assume the dead position on the floor instead of roosting. Not an issue right now but could be once they free range. Is this something that comes with age?

 

[red horse ranch]

My keets are almost 4 weeks old. Thru the day they get up on the roost in the brooder with their mama but at night they are all on the floor sleeping. Probably because it's warmer under the light. Even tho they have mama to snuggle with. I think by the time they are 6 weeks old and fully feathered they will be sleeping on the roost.

 

[DoeAndGander]

Thanks much!! Great to know

 

[BennieAnTheJets]

hi DoeAndGander,

your Guineas are going to roost soon - ours used to sleep on the floor, then roost with rubber necks getting long and hanging off the roosting bars (real funny!!!) then roost properly holding their heads up

I am writing because I wonder if you are planning to leave them out overnight once they free range? if you are planning on this, I would check with other Guinea keepers in the area to see if they are having any predator problems first - if I left them out overnight here the owls would get them, even if they roost in the trees - owls and racoons

Guineas are basically blind at night and are like sitting rotisserie chickens for night time predators - just saying

would like to prevent unnecessary heart-brake for you and worse for your Guineas if it is just a matter of getting the information to you

I used to sell keets every year and the people leaving them out overnight would come back each year for new keets since their other ones had been killed

most people need to secure them in a coop overnight to protect them, in most areas

 

[DoeAndGander]

hi DoeAndGander,

your Guineas are going to roost soon - ours used to sleep on the floor, then roost with rubber necks getting long and hanging off the roosting bars (real funny!!!) then roost properly holding their heads up

I am writing because I wonder if you are planning to leave them out overnight once they free range? if you are planning on this, I would check with other Guinea keepers in the area to see if they are having any predator problems first - if I left them out overnight here the owls would get them, even if they roost in the trees - owls and racoons

Guineas are basically blind at night and are like sitting rotisserie chickens for night time predators - just saying

would like to prevent unnecessary heart-brake for you and worse for your Guineas if it is just a matter of getting the information to you

I used to sell keets every year and the people leaving them out overnight would come back each year for new keets since their other ones had been killed

most people need to secure them in a coop overnight to protect them, in most areas

Good morning!! I am definitely not going to leave them roost outside overnight (if I can help it at least!). Thank you for the heads up/your concern though. I love how helpful people can be here.

I will be building their coop soon and have been training them since they were a week old to come to the sound of a bell. They’re doing great! I hope the transition is somewhat smooth. I recently found out what you mean about sitting rotisserie chicken. I didn’t realize how bad it was... it’s like they are in a total daze. I thought they were sick at first!

On a side note, being you have experience, do you by chance have any tips on how to switch them from a traugh waterer to cup waters? Everything I’ve tried new with them they freak out lol I do need to try yogurt on the triggers yet

 

[BennieAnTheJets]

great - that sounds fantastic - good for you and for them

about the "new stuff", I think the key is patience, patience, patience on our part

Guineas are indeed super-suspicious of anything new - yesterday I put a waterer outside and to level it on the ground I put a brick under it - oh, they were interested in that! long stretched necks and special sounds to alert everyone that they had seen "that thing" there and were first to alert the flock - real proud of themselves

I just left them alone and now they are drinking from it

since you have a new "thing", not just a new way to prop it up, it will take longer, and I would provide both water options for a while, maybe the old one in a comfortable place and another old one together with a new one in the same place, so they can check it out and get the idea - something like that

if the new thing does not hurt them and they can convince themselves at their own pace of that, they will eventually check it out and if it is water, hopefully drink it

 

[DoeAndGander]

great - that sounds fantastic - good for you and for them

about the "new stuff", I think the key is patience, patience, patience on our part

Guineas are indeed super-suspicious of anything new - yesterday I put a waterer outside and to level it on the ground I put a brick under it - oh, they were interested in that! long stretched necks and special sounds to alert everyone that they had seen "that thing" there and were first to alert the flock - real proud of themselves

I just left them alone and now they are drinking from it

since you have a new "thing", not just a new way to prop it up, it will take longer, and I would provide both water options for a while, maybe the old one in a comfortable place and another old one together with a new one in the same place, so they can check it out and get the idea - something like that

if the new thing does not hurt them and they can convince themselves at their own pace of that, they will eventually check it out and if it is water, hopefully drink it

Great idea!! I’ll keep an eye on them and the water level and go from there. These birds are so silly and interesting! I love them so far... even through their awkward molting stage. We have quite a few ground and ariel predators so I really hope I’m able to keep them around. Thank you so much for your help! I greatly appreciate it