# Is it ok to brood guinea keets and chicks together?



## herechikchik (Feb 25, 2007)

I'm going to order day olds from a hatchery 15 of each. Thought I'd better ask concidering I know nothing about guineas.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

I've done it, and quite successfully. I attribute the sociability of my guinea fowl to growing up with the other birds (chickens AND ducks).

One big happy flighty family. LOL!


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## farmmaid (Jan 13, 2003)

Yes, but..........you want to get unmedicated chick starter. Same with water fowl....unmedicated or waterfowl starter for ducks and geese.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

farmmaid said:


> Yes, but..........you want to get unmedicated chick starter. Same with water fowl....unmedicated or waterfowl starter for ducks and geese.


Good point. 

I never use medicated starter for just that reason. I figure if it's not good for the game birds, then it's probably not all that great for my regular chicks.


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## WstTxLady (Mar 14, 2009)

Why is it not good to give medicated starter to keets. I was considering getting some to put in with my chicks. They only have medicated around here or the next thing is game bird starter or layer.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

WstTxLady said:


> Why is it not good to give medicated starter to keets. I was considering getting some to put in with my chicks. They only have medicated around here or the next thing is game bird starter or layer.


It'll kill the game birds/waterfowl because they can't metabolize it.

Have you asked at your local feed store if they can order the unmedicated feed for you? 

I use the unmedicated chicken feed, and increase the protein by adding hard-boiled eggs when they're little, chopped organ meat and/or dry cat food when they're bigger.


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## WstTxLady (Mar 14, 2009)

I will just have to travel a lil bit farther to get some un-medicated, if the TSC has it.


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## herechikchik (Feb 25, 2007)

Thanks, I ordered French Pearl, lavender and royal purple keets( I GOTTA do something about these ticks!). As I was looking at the order form I saw they had Welsummers (I know, don't expect great egg color from a hatchery) so had to get'me some of them...DH has a thing against featherlegs but, they had silver laced cochin...and I never had a cochin before in my whole life (I know, the poor girl, right?) ...so, I got him some silver spangled hamburgs to make up for it ...

Ok, no medicated feed, got it. Anything else I need to know about keets?
Thanks again.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

herechikchik said:


> Ok, no medicated feed, got it. Anything else I need to know about keets?


Yes. They are sometimes sneaky, and all times stoooopid!

We had keets (and later on, adults) get stuck in the silliest places, and actually lost a few birds just because of their silly ways. 

Two got caught inside a roll of fencing. One died. <shaking head> 

I don't recall the other ways we've lost them at the moment (except for Miss Naarr getting hit by a car a month or so back), but you have to keep an eye on them when they're young. 

Encourage them to run with the other birds and you'll have fewer losses, and may even get some "friendly" guinea fowl. ("Friendly" means that they will come near you, but don't think for a moment that those little teases will allow you to handle them.


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## KOHL HAWKE (May 8, 2010)

I like to raise mine together it keeps them in the pasture more.(and out of the road)
Funny birds! Hey thanks for the non-medicated advice I knew about the water fowl but not about the keets!


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

Never killed a guinea feeding medicated starter.


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## herechikchik (Feb 25, 2007)

Thanks!


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## Painted Pony (Dec 12, 2008)

The "never feed non-medicated feed to waterfowl, gamesbirds..." is out of date. The current medication used is not toxic to those fowl. The current medication is Amprol. If you feed medicated to your chicks you can keep using the same thing just check your feed tag and make sure it's Amprol medication they are using.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

There are some new meds in feeds these days, but amprollium is ok for keets.

I have always had the best luck with keets if they are raised with chicks.


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## gina kay (Sep 12, 2007)

herechikchik, what did you mean about not getting good egg coloring from hatchery chicks? Reason I ask is that I ordered Cuckoo Marans from a hatchery back in October and I have yet to see any dark brown eggs, and they should be laying by now. They free range with the rest of the hens so maybe I need to check the woods again, although they stayed in the coop for the first three months in an enclosure so they know where to lay.


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## WstTxLady (Mar 14, 2009)

Most hatchery birds have been bred down so much they are losing their dark egg coloring. You "may" get lucky & get some dark layers but not as dark as they used to be. If you can find a local seller that has specialized in their dark layers, your chances of the real dark eggs are greater. I have some Cuckoo Marans & Welsummers that are 2 months old, we'll see how good their eggs are in time. I got them at a feed store not directly from the hatchery. Not sure where they got them.


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