Dreamers Nook
Songster
- Aug 17, 2023
- 116
- 550
- 146
Awesome description, you answered my questions, as I have 2 that I am raising with chicks for "watch dogs" persay. The oldest one is standoffs, the youngest is friendly. My grandmother raised them when I was a kid, but I never paid too much attention to them.I may edit/fine tune this later when I have more time, but here's a quick breakdown off the top of my head pertaining to what I've observed in my hatches/flocks over the years... (the tip jar is over there on the counter!)
*If raised on high protein game bird, pheasant or turkey starter feed (between 25%-30% protein) until they are at least 6 wks old:
Their first set of feathers starts coming in at 3-4 days old and their markings and colors change as they lose the down on their body.
They are covered in baby feathers and lose all of their down within a week and a half or so, but can still keep the fuzz on their heads up until 8 wks or even 10 wks of age.
Depending on the weather and time of year they were hatched they will typically start losing the down on their necks between 6 wks and 8 wks of age first before they lose it off of their heads (they go thru a very ugly awkward looking stage during this time with tiny pin feathers coming in on their neck, and usually just patches of down missing on their heads... LOL).
Again, depending on the weather they will molt their first set of baby feathers at around 6 wks to 8 wks of age, and depending on their color, their markings and colors will change again as they start growing in their juvenile feathers. (They are unable to regulate their own body temp and need a heat source for warmth from hatch until 6 wks of age).
They start growing noticeable wattles and their casque (the bony growth on their head) at around 6 wks to 8 wks of age too. (And this is usually when I gradually wean my keets over to a high protein grower feed with 20%-22% protein).
Their wattles start turning red between 8 wks and 10 wks (and I've noticed the more greens and bugs they eat and the more sun they get, the faster their wattles turn red)
I consider my keets to be pullets and cockerels when they are 12 wks of age, but others may have a different opinion on this.
They typically lose their juvenile feathers and molt again at around 12 wks of age, but by 16 weeks they usually all have their full adult plumage and makings. (They can be gradually weaned over to a 16% protein layer feed starting at 12 wks of age and that can be their regular diet year round from that point on... plus free range time of course).
They are usually sexually mature and considered adults by 16 wks of age, sometimes a little sooner, sometimes a little later. (And if hatched out early enough in the season the young pullets may lay some eggs before Fall for you. If not, they will lay the next Spring when the daylight hours start to increase).
*In my opinion and experience with raising keets and Guineas... if they are not not raised on high protein starter feed from hatch up until 6 wks of age and then a high protein grower feed until 12 wks of age all of these different development growth stages and changes happen at a much slower rate, and it is not healthy for your keets. There's a substantial risk of the keets not being able to thrive, live and produce to their full potential. And too much fat and starches in their diet (especially thru their heavy growth stages and molts) has great potential to cause health, reproductive and developmental issues.
