When to let keets out

[Dmontgomery]

My new keets are almost 1 week old. They have been confined to the coop with their mother since hatching. The coop is 16x16 but the hen is antsy to move around more and the chickens are tired of having to fight her just to get to the nesting boxes to lay each day.
How long before it is safe to let them out into the run? We have high humidity in the mornings so the ground is a little damp, but it’s 80 degrees by 8am.

 

[Flower84]

I think if they were a week old they should be ok, the parents usually raise the babies together and they do pretty well once they aren't tiny and just hatched. I had let my momma out after a few days and she only lost 1. I think you are ok to let them out, but be careful, if you have chicken wire they can get through it easily when they are that small. Hope this helps!

 

[Dmontgomery]

I ended up letting the keets into the run on day 12. I checked the weather closely and no rain was forecast for several days. So late in the day, I opened the door so they could all free range for about an hour. The parents kept them close to the coop and everybody went back in before dark.
I was way too paranoid to let them out any earlier. Everything I’ve read claims the morning dew on talll grass could kill them. I focused on the wet instead of the wet/cold. They would have been fine the first week, because there was little chance of them getting cold. The parents were sticking so close no one was getting left behind.

 

[Flower84]

Good to hear they are doing good!

 

[red horse ranch]

My keets will be 3 weeks old in a few days but so far I haven't let mama take them out of the brooder and attached pen. Both brooder and pen are inside the barn. The forecast has been calling for rain every day this week and I wasn't willing to risk having them out. But today I let her mate in with her and the keets and mama is much happier. Supposed to turn hot and dry in a few days so I will let the family out for a few hours each day.
I probably won't let them have total freedom thru the day until the keets are at least 5 weeks old and able to keep up with the rest of the flock.

 

[GlennLee]

I ended up letting the keets into the run on day 12. I checked the weather closely and no rain was forecast for several days. So late in the day, I opened the door so they could all free range for about an hour. The parents kept them close to the coop and everybody went back in before dark.
I was way too paranoid to let them out any earlier. Everything I’ve read claims the morning dew on talll grass could kill them. I focused on the wet instead of the wet/cold. They would have been fine the first week, because there was little chance of them getting cold. The parents were sticking so close no one was getting left behind.

Love the pics you posted in Guinea Talk. Glad to hear they are doing well and are enjoying the railing on your deck. Congrats again and keep posting those photos for us to watch them grow up.

Since my female was an "outsider" in the flock and not attached to a male, I'm going to give her more time alone with the keets in the barn. l'll start by opening up the barn door with bird netting over the opening for a look-see, no interaction. Then I'll keep the flock in, but let mama and the keets out to explore for a short time over several days.

I'm thinking at about 5 weeks I will integrate. If she had hatched around the others and had a male, I would do it sooner. My Rhode Island Reds can get pretty bossy and I don't want them to run off the keets and separate them from mama.

I do have some moveable fencing I could put up. The keets are small enough they could scoot in and out to reunite with mama and it would keep the rest of he crew out.

Stay tuned for the never ending guinea saga of being owned by guineas.