How long should I wait before I let him????????

[dandydoodle]

We just got a new roo. He spent the last night in a cage in the coop. Today is the first day he has moved about freely in the coop with the girls. I usually let the girls free range in the afternoon. How long should I wait before I let him free range too? How long before he knows to come back to the coop at night?

I don't want to let him out if he doesn't know to come back because, the predators will get him.

Thanks,
MIchelle

 

[chickenbuttsowhat]

every time i get new chickens i'll let them free range with the others and they stick around them and always comes back running first when time to get back behind the fence just last week got a new silkie rooster and i let them free range that afternoon while we was washing cars and he stayed close to the coop but still went and played in garden dirt and eat fresh grass with the others

 

[ReikiStar]

Standard rule of thumb is the chickens should be confined to their new living area for 3 days before being allowed to free range. Others might have a different experience, but this is a general guideline.