scout - the new rooster

[WthrLady]

6 month old Lt brown leghorn

I know he was kept in a small cage with little room to roam or get out and about. His water and food were placed in the cage with him. He doesn't even use a perch! He just hunkers down to sleep.

He now has his own 9 foot sq coop, with attached 15 sq Ft run.

He hardly ever comes out. he's been in new member quarantine for 10 days. He just looks so bored! if the ladies are out free ranging, he might pop out into hos run for a minute to watch, but then vanishes inside again. I've been locking him out of the coop for hours at a time during the day. It's like he doesn't know how to be outside.


I'd love to just open the run door to my acreage and see what happens.

Any ideas?


I've seen no mites, lice, eye goop, coughing, or odd poops. I do not plan on letting him near the girls, or their area...... but he is smart enough to get through the electric wires without getting zapped.

 

[ThePRfan]

i wouldn't.
Leg horns are very good fliers,and naturallly chickens new to soemwhere may leave.
Block your gate and then let him out.

 

[centrarchid]

Sit out with him reading a book to give him an occasional mealworm or BOSS. Do frequently.

 

[WthrLady]

He is a good flier. And jumper. He has a date with a pair of scissors.

Close the gate... you mean to the hot wire fence?

 

[centrarchid]

Confine in him to coop area for three days prior to release on fourth late in day.

 

[WthrLady]

I would love to sit out with him, but it is currently 10*.


we take the girls for daily walks on their afternoon free range. I think I'll do the same with him..... but in his own free range area.

 

[WthrLady]

Set up.

Coop has an attached run.

The coop with run is inside a 10x 10foot electric hot wire fence. only vertical wires no horizontal ones.

So let him out of the coop/run, within the fence for three days and on the fourth day, let him out of the electric fence area shortly before bedtime so he'll go home to roost?

 

[centrarchid]

Set up.

Coop has an attached run.

The coop with run is inside a 10x 10foot electric hot wire fence. only vertical wires no horizontal ones.

So let him out of the coop/run, within the fence for three days and on the fourth day, let him out of the electric fence area shortly before bedtime so he'll go home to roost?

Confine him to the actual coop. Let him out of coop into run on fourth day. This will promote imprinting on roost in the coop so he will use it versus wandering off.


Dress warmer for sitting out there with birds. Can be fun.

 

[WthrLady]

We've done that set up for 10 days already.

 

[WthrLady]

Thanks for your help everyone. I appreciate it