Transitional housing

[Poupoulles]

Moved the guineas (8) from the brooder to their house. They have been in there for going on three weeks. Its total chaos in there. I really only designed the house as their sleeping quarters, but heard you have to pen them for awhile before letting them roam so they will come back at night. They seem to be having a good time.
I read the Guineas 101 here and it was a big help!
Question: should I make them a "transitional" yard? Like with some fencing and chicken wire on top? Or when I start letting them out do we just "open the door" ?
I have some fencing left, enough to make them a little yard, so it wouldnt be a big production. I thought maybe they might like it. Or am I setting myself up for failure? Moving them to the house from the brooder was such a ridiculous insane bonanza...
Oh, they are about 7 weeks old. I keep thinking they are older because their turkey brooder mates are brontosauruses already.

 

[Tony O]

I would go with the fencing. It's better that they can see the area that they'll be released in. They won't be so near to get lost as if they were turned out to a completely new enviroment.

 

[Poupoulles]

I built the yard and we let them out. They didnt go back in at night. Just huddled on the ground, waiting for a racoon to drag them through the fence... So hubby and I picked them up one by one and put them in. How to they learn to go in and out?

 

[Tony O]

Feed them good in the morning. Then try holding off on the feed during the afternoon. They'll start getting a little hungry. Won't hurt them a bit. Then about a half hour before sundown, bring fresh feed for them inside where you want them to roost. When they go in to eat, just close the door behind them. After a while, they'll get in the habit to coming in. Guineas are a bird of habit, so will soon go in by them selves. It still wouldn't hurt to give them an inside treat in the evenings after they get turned loose, just to remind them where to go, least they may start roosting in the trees, or on top of the roof.