2 part question: first eggs and integrating new hen (who's molting)

[WhitneyJo]

Hi all, so I have two questions (that aren't necessarily related to each other).

1- My 4 Australorps who have just started laying (well at least one has, I'm thinking possibly 2 have started), aren't laying in the nest box. I have gotten 4 eggs, one was just inside the coop door, one was inside the coop, but UNDER the nest boxes (they are raised about a foot off the ground), and the other two eggs have been outside... I have put fake eggs in the nest boxes, but what else can I do to help them learn where to lay?

2 - I have the 4 Australorps, they are between 19-22 weeks old...and 1 Bielefelder roo about 7 months. They all get along splendidly. I recently picked up a Bielefelder hen who is about 1 year old. And she is MOLTING... My plan after quarantine, is to have her in a separate coop that is beside the big coop (where they would share a fence line), so that they can get to know each other for a week or so, then move her small coop inside the big coop for another week, then do supervised mixing for a while, then finally mix her. However, I wasn't sure how the molting would affect the mixing, should I delay? I know this can be a time of stress for her plus moving to a new home with a new flock...I don't want to overwhelm her.

I appreciate any pointers and advice, thank you!!

 

[DobieLover]

I installed curtains on my nest boxes before any of my pullets started to lay. For the most part, everyone who is currently laying is using the nest boxes.
New layers need time to work things out.
I think you have a good plan for your integration. Support your new hen with extra protein to get her through her molt and offer her some nutri-drench water once a week or so during this time period for additional support. Take your time with introductions and go slower if behaviors warrant it.

 

[WhitneyJo]

I installed curtains on my nest boxes before any of my pullets started to lay. For the most part, everyone who is currently laying is using the nest boxes.
New layers need time to work things out.
I think you have a good plan for your integration. Support your new hen with extra protein to get her through her molt and offer her some nutri-drench water once a week or so during this time period for additional support. Take your time with introductions and go slower if behaviors warrant it.

Thank you!!

 

[aart]

1. Is there a perch in front of nests for easy access?
Pics would help.

2. Integrating a single bird can be tricky. I think your plan is a solid start, to house them side by side after quarantine. Then you might have to do some chicken juggling to get them together...putting one of the existing birds in with the new one until they bond, then letting them all together...or switching, mix and match, them back and forth between enclosures.

This might help:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-a-single-hen-to-an-existing-flock.71997/

So might this.....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

 

[WhitneyJo]

1. Is there a perch in front of nests for easy access?
Pics would help.

2. Integrating a single bird can be tricky. I think your plan is a solid start, to house them side by side after quarantine. Then you might have to do some chicken juggling to get them together...putting one of the existing birds in with the new one until they bond, then letting them all together...or switching, mix and match, them back and forth between enclosures.

This might help:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-a-single-hen-to-an-existing-flock.71997/

So might this.....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

Thanks! I like the idea of mixing one hen in with her so they can bond, great idea. We will just see how it goes and take it slow. Here are pics of the nest boxes during construction and then one of the girls on the roost (coop is still under a bit of construction, will close off and finish insulation eventually). Any pointers are appreciated!

 

[Chirehe]

Maybe try and make the boxes more enticing? Add some straw or other bedding material to let the hens know it’s safe and warm and put a few of theirs (or fake) eggs in there for awhile. Maybe make a lowered area in the boxes (especially the lower ones) just to make sure they have easy accessibility to them. Good luck getting them to lay in there

 

[WhitneyJo]

Maybe try and make the boxes more enticing? Add some straw or other bedding material to let the hens know it’s safe and warm and put a few of theirs (or fake) eggs in there for awhile. Maybe make a lowered area in the boxes (especially the lower ones) just to make sure they have easy accessibility to them. Good luck getting them to lay in there

Thanks, there is actually straw in them. That fist pic is when the coop was still being built. And at first I put golf balls in all four, but now actually bought the fake brown eggs [just in case some how they knew ] I might try putting a ladder up to them. I think part of it is timing. I moved the girls into the new coop literally a day before they started to lay, I thought I had more time! I was hoping to move them and them not lay for a week or two and had time to adjust, but oops

 

[aart]

Nest perches look ok, better if they were a bit further out.
Nest bins need to be stable, so if then they step on the front edge it doesn't move.
Roosts are best higher than nests, so they don't sleep in/on nests.

 

[WhitneyJo]

Nest perches look ok, better if they were a bit further out.
Nest bins need to be stable, so if then they step on the front edge it doesn't move.
Roosts are best higher than nests, so they don't sleep in/on nests.

haha yeah we learned the hard way about the stable part The girls were fine getting in the boxes, but when they got out, the boxes kind of flipped, so we added a board on each side so you have to really pull to get them out... maybe the girls are traumatized about it....hopefully they will see that it's now a safe space. I was wondering if the roosts were too close to the boxes... that might take some creative rearranging, first time coop designer here

 

[aart]

The girls were fine getting in the boxes, but when they got out, the boxes kind of flipped, so we added a board on each side so you have to really pull to get them out... maybe the girls are traumatized about it....hopefully they will see that it's now a safe space.

Have they been in them since the flipping was fixed?