1 year old EE hen started laying on coop floor and away from coop.

[6Layers]

We have 2 EE's, and 1 White Rock yearling. Also recently introduced 3, 12-13 week old chicks (2 RIR & 1 Blk Aus.) to our small flock. They've been together for 2 weeks total. Started out by partitioning the coop, and over a period of a week and a half slowly removed parts of the partition until it was totally removed. The six hens are getting along fine, and have been mostly accepted. No aggressive behavior from the older ones. When released in the morning, the 3 older ones go one way, and the chicks go another. All return to roost, nest, eat etc. Even when released early a.m. the yearlings do return throughout the day to nest.
One of the EE yearlings have started laying eggs on the coop floor, and just this morning we found an egg on the sidewalk behind our house. Coop has 4 nest boxes.
Is this a sign of that hen not accepting the new arrangements, or is one sick or is this temporary because of the new arrangements, with the new birds having full access to the coop rather than a part of it?
Or is this quite normal because of the changes?
Any info would be greatly appreciated.... Worried

 

[Judy]

It's normal. I would guess they have their "cliques" and hers doesn't hang around the coop. And, it can take them about a month to settle into to egg laying. Sometimes you get one who just doesn't like nests, or who dicides now and then to lay somewhere else. Mine will periodically lay outside them. I just picked up an egg in the corner of the coop this morning, and my flock is older, 2 or more years old. I find one there every month or two, it seems.

If you haven't already, you can try putting fake eggs in the nests. Lots of people use golf balls. Sand filled easter eggs work well, too.