At what age wire mesh floor for keets?

[JoyfulHeartFarm]

I have 2-week-old guinea keets in a bathtub, underneath a heat lamp. I put together a brooder from a kit I ordered online from a quail farm in Wisconsin. The floor is hardware cloth.
At what age can the keets walk on this wire? They have VERY big feet!!! I have a tray to catch poop below -- the brooder box is on legs and about 18" off of the floor. My plan is to place a tarp on the bathroom floor, then disposable puppy pads, then the rubber tray, then disposable pads in that. Do I place wood chips in the brooder, on the wire? It seems that would defeat the purpose of having the poop drop below the brooder box.

 

[DotToDot]

How many are there?

 

[R2elk]

Do I place wood chips in the brooder, on the wire?

Do not put keets on wood chips until they are at least 2 weeks old. If you put keets on wood chips make sure they have appropriate sized chick grit available. They can and do eat wood chips. Without grit available they cannot digest the chips, become blocked up inside and die.

 

[JoyfulHeartFarm]

How many are there?

I have 6 of the original 8 from Tractor Supply. They are 12 days old and developing wings. I definitely need a "roof" soon! The brooder is a kit from Dale's Quails in Wisconsin and is described as:

Made with 1" x 2" kiln-dried pine, 1/2" x 1/2" hardware cloth, and 1/8'" pressed hardwood.
Outside box dimensions: 40" x 39" x 12"
Inside box dimension: 38.5" x 37.5" x 11 3/4"
Legs allow the brooder to be 13" off the ground, room for an added tray<not supplied), tote, or extra storage for feed, supplies, etc. The foor is 1/2' x 1/2' hardware cloth for easy cleaning. There is a 1.5' hole drilled into the two sides to allow for a cord.



9.7 square foot area

 

[JoyfulHeartFarm]

Do not put keets on wood chips until they are at least 2 weeks old. If you put keets on wood chips make sure they have appropriate sized chick grit available. They can and do eat wood chips. Without grit available they cannot digest the chips, become blocked up inside and die.

THANKS! They are 12 days old and have been on puppy pads.

 

[R2elk]

I definitely need a "roof" soon!

Indeed. Mine are flying by the time they are 2 weeks old. I move mine from the brooder at 2 weeks and put them in a grow out pen with a heat lamp that they can camp out under or not.

I start mine at 90°F measured at the bedding level. By the time they are 2 weeks old I have it turned down to 80°F.

 

[JoyfulHeartFarm]

Indeed. Mine are flying by the time they are 2 weeks old. I move mine from the brooder at 2 weeks and put them in a grow out pen with a heat lamp that they can camp out under or not.

I start mine at 90°F measured at the bedding level. By the time they are 2 weeks old I have it turned down to 80°F.

 

[JoyfulHeartFarm]

I am new to this -- my adult guineas were 8 weeks old when I got them. I kept them in their house for two months (it is a very large house), and they come back each night now. They are almost a year old, laying eggs, and thriving. I am including a recent pic of one of my guys.

The keets I bought at TSC were 3 days old, and I lost 2 of the original 8. I am attaching a picture of the brooder I put together this week, which is in the same bathroom as the tub where they are now. It is large enough for them to "escape" the heat lamp as needed. I also have a warmer plate I intend to use, adjusting the height so they can fit under it. Perhaps that is better at this point as they are 12 days old and Sunday marks week 2 of life. So. With the brooder box in the picture, which has a wire mesh floor, do I put in wood chips on Sunday (2 weeks old), or will they be okay on the wire mesh?

 

[Bicoastal]

If I were you, I'd put them on the wire mesh floor now and leave them there. A couple great breeders like Flint River Guinea recommend raising keets on wire. Iowa Guinea Farm houses their flocks on wire.

I added shelf liner on top of the hardware cloth flooring when they were tiny. But shelf liner requires having several so you can rotate out to wash.

 

[JoyfulHeartFarm]

If I were you, I'd put them on the wire mesh floor now and leave them there. A couple great breeders like Flint River Guinea recommend raising keets on wire. Iowa Guinea Farm houses their flocks on wire.

I added shelf liner on top of the hardware cloth flooring when they were tiny. But shelf liner requires having several so you can rotate out to wash.

THANK YOU!! I am in the process of building a new guinea house (200 sq ft) to divide up for various ages of guineas, and I will move these from my guest bathroom when they are old enough!! I am trying to develop a guinea-raising protocol, lol.