Baby Keets - resting?

[vicknick]

I've never raised baby guineas before.. or newborn chicks of any kind. I've bought feed store chicks, and I've had a broody hen raise chicks, but in this case, my broody hen rejected the babies - attacking them whenever they'd poke their heads out from under her, throwing them to the side of the nest and then attacking if they tried to get back under. So I pulled the babies one at a time, over the course of a few hours, until it was evident that she was going to attack all of them. Now I have a plastic tub in my living room with a little box that I wrapped in a pair of fluffy pajamas, and a chick feeder and a chick waterer... They hatched on Tuesday and I've poked their little faces in the water to make sure they know how to drink, and this morning they came out of the box and ate a little and drank a little and then ran back into the box. Literally since they were hatched all they've wanted to do is huddle in their little box (or in someone's hand or behind my hair when I sit in my recliner, etc) - is this normal for new-hatched babies? I didn't expect to need to mother them, so I am completely unprepared. It's the hottest time of year, and pretty hot in my house (mid-80s all day, upper 70s at night), but I put a heating pad in one side of their tub the first night - they weren't interested, were happy to huddle together in their little box, so I guess they're warm enough? If they're too cold, is that why they're not running around and playing? Or is it just because they're so new, that they are just resting? I've got a chicken mat heating pad thing arriving today, which is actually meant for chickens, vs my heating pad I use for my back, lol, so I'm hoping that it'll be better for them if they are in fact cold. Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you!

 

[R2elk]

I've never raised baby guineas before.. or newborn chicks of any kind. I've bought feed store chicks, and I've had a broody hen raise chicks, but in this case, my broody hen rejected the babies - attacking them whenever they'd poke their heads out from under her, throwing them to the side of the nest and then attacking if they tried to get back under. So I pulled the babies one at a time, over the course of a few hours, until it was evident that she was going to attack all of them. Now I have a plastic tub in my living room with a little box that I wrapped in a pair of fluffy pajamas, and a chick feeder and a chick waterer... They hatched on Tuesday and I've poked their little faces in the water to make sure they know how to drink, and this morning they came out of the box and ate a little and drank a little and then ran back into the box. Literally since they were hatched all they've wanted to do is huddle in their little box (or in someone's hand or behind my hair when I sit in my recliner, etc) - is this normal for new-hatched babies? I didn't expect to need to mother them, so I am completely unprepared. It's the hottest time of year, and pretty hot in my house (mid-80s all day, upper 70s at night), but I put a heating pad in one side of their tub the first night - they weren't interested, were happy to huddle together in their little box, so I guess they're warm enough? If they're too cold, is that why they're not running around and playing? Or is it just because they're so new, that they are just resting? I've got a chicken mat heating pad thing arriving today, which is actually meant for chickens, vs my heating pad I use for my back, lol, so I'm hoping that it'll be better for them if they are in fact cold. Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you!

They are huddling because they are too cold. I start my newly hatched keets at 90°F measured at the bedding level.

Keets need a high protein turkey or game bird starter for the first 6 to 8 weeks.

 

[vicknick]

OK - I am giving them game bird starter. I noticed they were having trouble getting in and out of the fuzzy box, so I took out their fuzzy box and fixed a little box they can walk in and out of more easily and they stopped huddling and started eating and drinking and stretching their wings. Maybe their bed was too comfy?

 

[Sydney65]

secure a cookie cooling rack to a couple of blocks of wood so it's about 2" above the ground, put your heating pad ontop of the cooling rack set on low or warm, then tuck the keets inside. That's basically a first responder tx while you get better prepared. You've got to get them warmed up.

 

[vicknick]

Oh good idea! They're not huddling anymore but I'll set it up so they'll have a place to warm up in case they're still cold. Thanks very much!

 

[vicknick]

So I took their little cardboard box, lined it with paper towels, cut the top off, and made a scoop in one wall so they can walk in and out easily, put the cookie rack on top, and the heating pad on top of that, and cranked it up. Whew! Thanks so much, what a great idea!!

 

[Sydney65]

Guinea fowl regulate body heat w/their feet, but keets can't do that yet. I use a heating pad folded inside of a wire frame in an arch shape, so the heat is on their feet & all around them. I have the pad inside of the arch bc what I've learned is that keets use their heads to warm- they'll stand on their tip toes stretching to get their head on that pad if they have to, and stick their head through the wire if able. Makes sense- mama plucks her feathers so there's skin on skin contact when they're under her. I put the pad inside of a piece of cut up stretchy fluffy fleece pj pants leg. I stitch up one end so they can't get inside, and the other side where the cord exits I fold over and secure with safety pins so they can't get in that way either. The arch can slip inside of there as well- it's really stretchy material- and then attach the ends of the material to complete the tunnel.
As you can see, Numi had this to herself. There are currently 7 growing up in the same tunnel. At 4 weeks they run over and warm up every once in awhile and most sleep ontop of it now.
I do have the chicken pad, but it was never warm enough to sustain keets, so I don't use it.

 

[vicknick]

One of them keeps biting the others' feet. He eats food too, so he knows what the food is, he just thiks the other babyfeet are tasty or something? Is there a way to stop this before someone gets hurt? I took him out and cuddled him to sleep, but when he wakes up I'm hoping he won't do it again!
Also, an update - the babies are in and out - some are running around, some go inside for a minute and then go back out again - just being cute.

 

[vicknick]

Guinea fowl regulate body heat w/their feet, but keets can't do that yet. I use a heating pad folded inside of a wire frame in an arch shape, so the heat is on their feet & all around them. I have the pad inside of the arch bc what I've learned is that keets use their heads to warm- they'll stand on their tip toes stretching to get their head on that pad if they have to, and stick their head through the wire if able. Makes sense- mama plucks her feathers so there's skin on skin contact when they're under her. I put the pad inside of a piece of cut up stretchy fluffy fleece pj pants leg. I stitch up one end so they can't get inside, and the other side where the cord exits I fold over and secure with safety pins so they can't get in that way either. The arch can slip inside of there as well- it's really stretchy material- and then attach the ends of the material to complete the tunnel.
As you can see, Numi had this to herself. There are currently 7 growing up in the same tunnel. At 4 weeks they run over and warm up every once in awhile and most sleep ontop of it now.
I do have the chicken pad, but it was never warm enough to sustain keets, so I don't use it.

View attachment 3169124

SO CUTE!!! I love that!!!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

So I took their little cardboard box, lined it with paper towels, cut the top off, and made a scoop in one wall so they can walk in and out easily, put the cookie rack on top, and the heating pad on top of that, and cranked it up. Whew! Thanks so much, what a great idea!!

Congrats on your new keets! So was it a chicken hen or Guinea hen that incubated them and then had no mothering instincts? For your heating pad cave, monitor temps in there. With your house so warm you might want that pad on low. The keets will regulate their own temperature preference but you don’t want them to have to choose between baking and freezing (for them). Anywhere between 90-100 F in that cave should work. You can also find threads on BYCs about diy ideas like the “mama heating pad” or MHP plus other ideas. What kind of bedding are you using? If using shavings, introduce chick grit now. I would use chick grit even if not using shavings, as my keets seem to be experts at finding something inappropriate to eat!