Taming Guinea fowl keets?

[Camry08]

I recently got two Guinea fowl chicks. I have them set up in a brooder and I want to tame them. I was wondering if I would have to make a separate brooder and separate the two to achieve this? I have a tame button quail because she hatched a day before the others which gave her a chance to bond with me while her partner is still terrified out of his wits around me (even tho I spent as much time with him as I did her). The keets are already a few days old and running away from me. I was also wondering if it’s even safe to be handling them at this age when my room temp is nothing like the brooder?

 

[HappyDuckie]

@Sapphire Sebright

 

[Sapphire Sebright]

I recently got two Guinea fowl chicks. I have them set up in a brooder and I want to tame them. I was wondering if I would have to make a separate brooder and separate the two to achieve this? I have a tame button quail because she hatched a day before the others which gave her a chance to bond with me while her partner is still terrified out of his wits around me (even tho I spent as much time with him as I did her). The keets are already a few days old and running away from me. I was also wondering if it’s even safe to be handling them at this age when my room temp is nothing like the brooder?

Gently handle them. Don't make sudden movements when you're reaching for them in the brooder -- just be patient and scoop them up after you corner them. Hold them firmly, but not too tightly -- they will try to hop out of your hands, so hold them over the brooder. Try to handle them both at the same time so that they won't freak out over being separated.
Next, set them on your lap and keep your hands around them. Stroke them gently.
If you can, try getting them to eat out of your hand. Try keeping them out for five minutes before putting them back, and gradually increase the time that you keep them out of the brooder.
Most of all, handle them frequently so that they get used to you. Talk at them softly and try whistling like adult guineas do.
Due to how wild guineas are, they probably won't ever reach the tame point that chickens are at, but it might help make them less skittish. The friendliest guinea that I have imprinted on me at hatching and was the only chick for a long time, so he got a lot of love, and that's why he's so tame.

Oh, and they are very fast, so have a yardstick handy if there are places that they can skitter under (like the stove). Having another person can be useful, too, if they're being a special pain to catch.
Good luck.

 

[Camry08]

Gently handle them. Don't make sudden movements when you're reaching for them in the brooder -- just be patient and scoop them up after you corner them. Hold them firmly, but not too tightly -- they will try to hop out of your hands, so hold them over the brooder. Try to handle them both at the same time so that they won't freak out over being separated.
Next, set them on your lap and keep your hands around them. Stroke them gently.
If you can, try getting them to eat out of your hand. Try keeping them out for five minutes before putting them back, and gradually increase the time that you keep them out of the brooder.
Most of all, handle them frequently so that they get used to you. Talk at them softly and try whistling like adult guineas do.
Due to how wild guineas are, they probably won't ever reach the tame point that chickens are at, but it might help make them less skittish. The friendliest guinea that I have imprinted on me at hatching and was the only chick for a long time, so he got a lot of love, and that's why he's so tame.

Oh, and they are very fast, so have a yardstick handy if there are places that they can skitter under (like the stove). Having another person can be useful, too, if they're being a special pain to catch.
Good luck.

Thank you for the fantastic info!!! But I have one more guestion. Is it safe for me to be taking them out when they are less then a week old? My room is about 70 compared to their brooders 95.

 

[Sapphire Sebright]

Thank you for the fantastic info!!! But I have one more guestion. Is it safe for me to be taking them out when they are less then a week old? My room is about 70 compared to their brooders 95.

It should be okay for short periods of time, yes -- just a few minutes.