"Wild Rooster" effect Hen bedding?

[Mrs. K]

I the picture

I would maybe keep them in 3-4 days. If that, you might feel more comfortable with that. I would let them out late afternoon, they won't go too far, and the rooster should round them up.

To be honest, maybe I have just been lucky, and I always have had a run attached to my coop. So I never lock them in the coop. But I have never had any problems with birds that HAVE ROOSTED not going back there to roost at dark.

I think you got nervous with the rooster out. But they looked like a flock to me, and they will want to roost together, and if you have enough room in there, they will.

While I do let mine our frequently, I also leave them in the run if I want. I have had some flighty ones be tricky to get back in the run, but that is only if I go down before dark. Dark, free range or not, they are in the coop.

Mrs K

 

[RiseNShyne]

I the picture

I would maybe keep them in 3-4 days. If that, you might feel more comfortable with that. I would let them out late afternoon, they won't go too far, and the rooster should round them up.

To be honest, maybe I have just been lucky, and I always have had a run attached to my coop. So I never lock them in the coop. But I have never had any problems with birds that HAVE ROOSTED not going back there to roost at dark.

I think you got nervous with the rooster out. But they looked like a flock to me, and they will want to roost together, and if you have enough room in there, they will.

While I do let mine our frequently, I also leave them in the run if I want. I have had some flighty ones be tricky to get back in the run, but that is only if I go down before dark. Dark, free range or not, they are in the coop.

Mrs K

Hmm... Well, it'll be about that today or tomorow I'd say.... You aren't wrong in the fact that I've been a tad on the nervous side with the rooster situation happening - though it's probably just paranoia. haha! I just want everything to go smoothly and not have anyone stay out and possibly get eaten... Or have the Big Guy stay out and then everything snowball in the wrong direction. I mean, I can go down the road and get a new one anytime I want for a couple bucks but that's not the point. I want them all to live long and happy lives.

I can do a test run of sorts when I get home from work sometime (later?) this week. That'll give them a week-ish in the coop to know where "home" is.... Open the door at about 5pm, get eggs at the same time so I don't go down there again until sunset to close things up. I noticed from watching out for the Big Guy when he was "free" that he and the "tractor ladies" seemed to close up shop at about 8pm - roughly an hour or so before sunset...

I'm nervous to have to catch a rogue chicken on my property again... I've only had to do it once outside of the rooster and I managed to get extremely lucky with a bait-fish caster net that I no longer have.... Caught a leghorn lady that fell of of a chicken truck and went by and wandered onto my property - which sparked the first attempt at keeping chickens as I mentioned earlier in this thread... Didn't have the net for the rooster and thought about buying one but I don't think I've get that lucky again as they see it overhead... The lady I caught was probably pretty tired and did a panic jump straight up into it after about an hour or so of chasing her though the field next to me and all over my property. I'm sure it would've been a pretty entertaining sight.

The unfortunate thing is I'm all alone on a few acres of mostly open land so catching anything can be quite the challenge. I'm blessed that if my quail get out of their aviary they just sit where they land, "chirp" and look at me like "Hey, take me back!" haha!

 

[Mrs. K]

There is no rush, take your time.