When? How?

[Anguissette]

I got 6 pearl guinea keets (7 weeks) about a month ago with the eventual goal of tick control. However, I am afraid to let them out of their current home--the spare room of our garage--as I am fearful they will run off into the wilderness and not return.

I am a total guinea noob.....any advice?

 

[ColbyNTX]

It might still be a bit too soon. I would wait a couple more weeks and then let them out 1 bird per day. The first bird will not go anywhere too far from its buddies.

 

[robin416]

I've had my three week olds out free ranging. They stick in a tight group and revel in all the good stuff they find. But it only lasts until the adult flock spots them then I herd them back in to their pen.

My coops are close to the house which means I don't have brush and trees for them to take to and disappear. My biggest problem is if one becomes separated from the group, once they panic its hard to get the single to move in the direction you want it to go in.

 

[Anguissette]

No other fowl as of yet, so they do not have to worry about another flock but our pasture is surrounded by trees

I never thought I would be so worried!

 

[robin416]

They will act like children turned loose in a toy store when they first go out. They might or might not experiment with flying in to the trees just to do it but generally will come back down to go hunt more goodies on the ground. I've had to shoo a single that got separated from the others off the Silkie coop roof twice now. Little devil learned he could do it so now its just the bestest thing in the whole world.

You're best bet is to train them to millet. Once they get a taste for that it will make it a ton easier to get them up at night.

 

[Anguissette]

Our current plan is to put them in the chicken coop (which had better be done by this weekend!) and turn out 1/2 at a time.....in the hopes that they will return to the other half in the evening? Or perhaps not stray too far?

I hope my horses don't chase them!

 

[glenolam]

We kept our keets with chicks, then when they were big enough we turned the keets and chicks out with the adults. At that time, the chicken house/pen was completely enclosed so no one could get out. We kept everyone together in the pen/house for about a week or two, then opened the doors (we'd let our birds free range only when we're home due to predator issues). The guineas kept right to the chickens and didn't go far....a year later they're just starting to venture to the edges of our property. Since the chickens and ducks don't go too far from home anyway, it keeps the guineas closer.