After raising 9 chickens and 10 guineas in the garage last year I knew that experience was something I never wanted to repeat again. Cleaning out the chicken poo and trampled mash/water was not very enjoyable.
Unfortunately the local owl's decided to eat 5 of my hard grown guineas so I needed some replacements. The guineas weren't building nests and the chickens haven't gotten broody so I found myself with 6 store bought baby keats in the garage. Things were going well until yesterday when 1 of the seemingly healthy keats died, no reason, just died.
The guineas that currently patrol the yard have done a fantastic job of clearing out the tick population and have proven to be more than adequate watch dogs. I really like these silly looking birds and can't wait for them to grow up and get out of the garage to join the rest of the flock - for several different reasons of course.
Oh, I love the keets! I'm sorry you don't have a broody hen! If I was closer I'd have given you you one of mine to raise your keets - it certainly does make it easier! I'm sorry the one keet died. We started with 12 keets, and I believe one is slow or retarded. But it's still alive. It's strange how it's so slow. Sometimes it runs backwards instead of forward. It's just weird. Good luck with the babies!
ReplyDelete~Lynn
You are resilient! The young stage of having to clean up after them constantly is not fun. I'm taking notes from blog friends so I'll know how to do this better my 2nd time around too! Sounds like you are working hard to keep the flock up in numbers. Hope the rest will grow big and strong!
ReplyDeleteYou are brave. I started chickens in the basement one March. Never again! And I really do mean never again. Hope the rest of your babies do well.
ReplyDeleteLynn - Guineas are so odd, I guess that is what makes them so loveable.
ReplyDeleteLana - Keeping the numbers from dropping below the point of no return is important. It isn't fun sometimes but in this case it is necessary.
Teresa - The electric bill skyrockets for June with the heat lamp on all month in the garage. It doesn't help that the temperature hasn't broke 60* this week.
oh i'm sorry to hear you lost one! Hopefully it will stay by this one.
ReplyDeleteAnd I KNOW! no life without the dew is no life at all! ;-)
haha
Thanks!
Leontien
Leontien - The Commander and I both so love Mt Dew!
ReplyDeleteThey are adorable... I'm so sorry about the one you loss. Hopefully there will be no more. Hopefully they will do well and grow fast and be out of your garage so the mess will be gone and they will be eating ticks and bugs with the others! Seems like it's worth the trouble to raise them there for all they give you. Really neat to read about them because I have no experience with them and have heard so many different things, they really seem like a great addition to the farm and helpful too.
ReplyDeleteLuckyBunny - If you get Guineas and can stand the noise you will love them...I promise.
ReplyDelete