Preparing to free range hens.

[hallnoaks]

I have 2 hens about 8 months old and 2 about 1 year old. The ones that are about a year old already free ranged at a friends house. The 8 month old hens I bought but they never free ranged. They all like their new coop. How long should I keep them in the coop before starting them off free ranging which they will be doing going forward?

 

[fluffycrow]

Keep them in the coop for at least 2 weeks since the day you get them all in their final coop (assuming you quarantined separately). Do only a couple of hours for the first few weeks, slowly letting them range for longer. Be observant of how efficiently they forage, their routine, and which bird takes on which role