New Chickens

Good Morning. Its been years since I've had chickens and I just got 4 two days ago. Two are already laying and the other two not yet. This is my concern. Since I got them I've had NO eggs. Both current layers have been inside the coop but have stayed outside the coop constantly. Even at night they roost outside rather than going inside. The two young ones that are not laying seem to want to be inside the coop all the time. Is this normal? Are they just stressed about moving? They also flew right over the fence the day we got them so I clipped one wing and that didn't work so I clipped both wings. That has worked so far but I'm concerned about them not laying eggs and the two that are staying outside. It rained last night and they stayed on the roost in the rain.

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

Congrats on your new flock! Moving chickens to a new home is stressful on them. Birds are highly territorial and get used to being in the same spot. So when they are moved, the are nervous, stressed, worried about predators, where their next meal is going to come from etc...and it usually shuts the egg laying completely off. Some birds will continue, but most of them stop.

So give them time to adjust. Don't force them to come out of the coop until they are ready, move quietly around them, don't try to pick them up unless you have to as this will stress them out. I suggest you find the time to go sit quietly with them on the ground. Bring some goodies, reassure them all is well. Keep loud noises like lawn mowers and weed whackers away from them from a while. Just let them settle in. It can take up to a couple of weeks for them to get back to laying.

Meantime, keep fake eggs in every nest box. Hens are designed to lay somewhere where another hen has laid her egg as if that hen survived, so will she. They also naturally lay in clutches to continue the flock. The fake eggs will help to calm them faster into getting back to laying quicker too if they feel safe.

They will be just fine. You might get them on some probiotics too to help build the immune system that may have dipped due to the new move.

Make yourself at home here and if you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

Welcome to our flock!

Also, make sure they are sleeping in the coop at night. Do not allow them to sleep outside. They need to learn that the coop is a safe place to be. Chickens naturally return to the last place they survived the night, and you want that to be the coop where it is safe from predators.

I have a tractor coop that is very secure. I really would like for all 4 of them to sleep inside so I can close them up but the two that are laying want to sleep on the roost outside they will not go in to sleep for some reason. I'm not all that concerned about them staying out to sleep since it is secure and predators can't get in there to them but I did think it was odd that they stayed out in the rain last night.

Where do I get probiotics for them? I've also been wondering about worming. What do I give them and how often? I had chickens 20+ years ago so some of this stuff I have forgotten.
Thanks for replying.

You have already gotten good advice, but wanted to welcome you to BYC. Glad you joined the flock.

Chickens are smart. They are not mindless egg machines. They need time to adjust to new surroundings. Pamper them a little. Make sure they sleep in the coop making sure their is enough roosting space for all and their is enough ventilation. Have no idea where you are but summer nights are warm.
Give them time and some attention and they will produce.

Thank you for joining us at Backyard chickens - hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Love your avatar, is that your Basset hounde?

Yes he is. He was a puppy there but is 6 years old now. I have two bassets one is 6 and one is 6 months. Two quarter horses, and now 4 chickens. lol I'm stopping with the chickens.

They have plenty of room. I only have 4 chickens. I could do 8 easily but I'm sticking with 4 to not over crowd them. I was concerned yesterday when I got home and there were no eggs. I know they are stressed from being in a new place. Just wanted to be sure no egg production was normal and not an issue going on. I'm a very overly concerned animal owner. I own two horses so I know how quickly things can go bad if you aren't on top of it. I'm in VA so yes its hot and humid but I have a fan in the coop for them, its well ventilated, under a tree in the shade, and its nice and fluffy soft inside for them. I have two basset hounds that have been laying at the fence to the pen looking at them so that may be freaking them out to. They aren't barking at them or anything just looking like they are trying to figure out what their new friends are all about lol Its so funny to watch. The puppy (6 month old) will lay there forever just looking at them then all of the sudden he will jump up in the air and run all over the yard like something is chasing him then back to the fence to lay down and watch them some more. lol I'm having more fun watching the dogs reaction to them than I am the chickens.

I will say however, the first night when I let them out of the crate I was so surprised that even with one wing clipped they jumped right up on the fence and were out in the horse pasture in a matter of seconds. OMG I didn't think I was ever going to catch them. They were running all over the place and my horses took off to another planet to get away from them. lol So funny.