This morning some new additions came out of quarantine and were added to my laying hen flock. There were a few spats but they have all settled down. Normally when I'm home for the day I let my layers out in the yard to forage. I haven't let them out today because of the new hens. The new hens came from a place where they were in a run 24/7 and didn't really experience the "great outdoors". There are plenty of places to hide if a predator did come up but I'm mostly worried about them learning where they sleep. How long should I keep them cooped up before letting them all out together? If they don't go out today they wont' have another chance until Thursday.
Keep the new ones in their coop for at least three days before letting them out. That way they should know where "home" is and go back at night.
If it were me, I'd keep the new girls in for a week or so, and let the 'old girls' out without them. Yesterday all my hens left the fenced yard for the first time. This is just the picket 'dog fence', we have lots more property for them to rove than that. I guess they saw the great wide world, and wanted to go explore! I wasn't worried, except unless maybe a dog came by and saw them. My own dogs even wondered why the chickens were out! They all came back inside the fence before bedtime, and put themselves to bed like they always do. Get your new hens familiar with their new home before they go 'browsing'.
