Keets and Poults

 Hey, Dave Barry, I think "Keets and Poults" would make a great name for a rock band!

A turkey poult (center) cocks his head, looking adorable.  The birds on either side of him are keets.

But what it really means is that we have five baby guinea fowl (keets) and three baby turkeys (poults).  I bought them on the spur of the moment when I found them in our local farm store.  I've often thought of getting turkeys, but most hatcheries require an order of about 15.  That's a lot of Thanksgiving turkeys, so I was glad to be able to just get three.

A keet (left) snuggles up to a turkey poult (right).  I think the keets' racing stripes are cute!

Since I got home a bit late that evening and the brooder house wasn't set up, I put the babies in a box on top of a heating pad on the dryer with an pole lamp canted to shine warmth down into the box.

I gave them some chick starter (specifically approved for turkeys and all other fowl) and some warm water (because drinking cold water can kill turkey poults) with electrolytes and probiotics dissolved in it.  I was glad I had cleaned and stored the equipment after the last batch of birds left the brooder house so it was ready to be used on the spur of the moment.

When he cocks his head at the right angle, you can see the beginning of this turkey poult's "snood" at the top of his beak.

Then I just stood there for several minutes listening to the lovely sing-song warbling of the keets and enjoying the silent cuteness of the poults.  I do love having baby birds around!