Homing Instinct

[cbass422407]

I have a new rooster that I recently added to my flock. He’s been in a separate enclosure right next to the girls for five days now. I’ve been thinking of letting him out to range with the girls but I don’t want him just freaking out and running away. Question is, does he already know that his home is in the run, or should I wait longer?

 

[centrarchid]

He should be ready. I would delay first release until about an hour before dark and watch him.

 

[The Moonshiner]

The only male around a flock of girls....
Let him loose he won't be going anywhere.

 

[cbass422407]

I did forget to mention that he’s only eight weeks old. He was let out for about three minutes. The girls let him know that he’s still low chicken on the totem pole. I think he just needs about a month to get bigger.

 

[Wolfsbane]

I did forget to mention that he’s only eight weeks old. He was let out for about three minutes. The girls let him know that he’s still low chicken on the totem pole. I think he just needs about a month to get bigger.

Is there a small pen that you could let him loose in with them for an hour to see how it goes?

Or maybe try putting a few hens who are low on the pecking order in with him, that way when you do let him out with the others he will have some friends to stick around with and show him the ropes of being a free range chicken.

 

[cbass422407]

I did try to break him in with a couple of the smaller, less aggressive birds the first night. I came out to find he wasn’t in the coop, but roosted outside on top of a less than desirable (for him) perch.

Today when I let him out to mingle, they were the first two to run up and start pecking him. I think he just needs to get bigger. His enclosure is within theirs so at least he can get some company without being attacked.

 

[Wolfsbane]

I did try to break him in with a couple of the smaller, less aggressive birds the first night. I came out to find he wasn’t in the coop, but roosted outside on top of a less than desirable (for him) perch.

Today when I let him out to mingle, they were the first two to run up and start pecking him. I think he just needs to get bigger. His enclosure is within theirs so at least he can get some company without being attacked.

Probably a good idea to let him get a bit bigger then, older hens will always pick on a young rooster a bit but they do get over that pretty quickly once he's bigger.

 

[chickens really]

Let him out...He won't leave the Hens. He will be fine.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Low pecking order hens will be much worse than a top hen.Their already lowest in the totem pole and are going to wanna assure they keep him at the very bottom,it pretty much helps their own situation in the flock.

I would advise waiting a few weeks for him to grow and get bigger,maybe another three weeks.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

But that’s not saying you have to,you could go ahead and let him mingle with the big girls,but would defiantly keep a close eye.