Will my pullets go back in the pen at night?

[hennyrickson]

I am a newbie! I am afraid if I let my pullets to roam around with the hens that they wont home back in their pen? Will they instinctually go back in the pen? Is this a good way to introduce the pullets to the hens? Thanks for your help!

 

[Odelia]

They often will not go home at night. Do you have a run or are they free range? If they are free range expect them to look for a low tree branch or the back of a patio chair as a great roost. If there are older birds inside this will be more likely as the older birds will try to keep them out of their coop. I went and put my stragglers in at night and they ended up getting the idea. Good luck

 

[hennyrickson]

That is great advice! Thank you!! They are free range and then have a coop that they go in at night and then I shut the door. One pullet escaped her cage and we found her wandering the yard lost the other day so that worried me about the others. I will create put a pen up for them to at least scratch around and then let them inside before dark so they start understanding. Thanks!

 

[Aacre]

What I like to do with new hens/pullets is keep them penned up in the coop for a couple weeks so that they establish that the coop is their home. They will become comfortable with it and prefer to be there at night. This can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a month to establish this, especially with the pecking order being established as well.