New hens stopped laying

[bonandtam]

Hi all,
Just got two beautiful 1.5y old Rhode Island’s from a good friend of mine.
They have been integrated alongside my one Australop with the see no touch method.
At week 2/3 now of introducing them to a new place and in the first week they both laid daily, however they have not laid in the past 4 days. Last two days were hot and figured it was the reason but i’m afraid they are not laying today. I don’t hear them doing the laying song and don’t portray any ‘laying’ behaviour at the moment.
Is this common for new hens when introduced to a new environment?

 

[nuthatched]

It could be that the stress if a new environment caused a molt.

 

[Mrs. K]

Yes, often times they will lay when you first get them. Those eggs were in the pipe so to speak. Then they won't lay for days-weeks. Then they will.

It might be the daylength, if you are in the northern hemisphere. They may not lay until after the solstice to maybe February. At a 1.5 years - they are prime molters, and that also stops laying.

Mrs K