Accidental New Chicken Owner and I have some questions

[MistressBrandy]

Meet Roxanne! I found her roosting on our trash can Saturday evening and she seems to have taken up residence at our house here in the middle of town. We decided to keep her so my husband built her a coop out of some scrap wood and he built her a run! (I spoke with the city and we can have up to 25 chickens but we must have a covered coop and keep it maintained)

So a couple people on here said she was a production red hen approximately two years old. My question is, when should we expect her to start laying eggs? She has been at our house since Saturday and in the pen since Wednesday evening. I know she will probably need some time to adjust to her new surroundings. We also started giving her crushed oyster shells but she hasn't been eating it. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[MistressBrandy]

 

[PrairieChickens]

There's a number of factors that could be responsible for the lack of eggs. It's not uncommon for some backyard chicken keepers to dump their chickens somewhere when they get too old to lay regularly, so she could very easily be a retiree that someone abandoned. Even if that's the case, she'll still lay an occasional egg for you given some basic care.

She may also just be adjusting to new surroundings, or she might need more protein in her diet. The oyster shell, while necessary for calcium and proper formation of egg shells, it won't have much effect on how soon or how often she lays.

 

[ochochicas]

Nice coop! We have some experience taking in unwanted hens. The first two were two and a half years old. The owner told us when she got them the took a week off before starting to lay. Those two laid immediately when we brought them home and were laying 6 - 7 eggs each per week for a couple of month. Unfortunately one got sick (egg bound) and is not laying well now, The other one is broody and is not laying either. LOL

The second batch of hens we got were laying every day from the start as well.

A month ago we got two hens that are supposed to be 3 years old. The owner said they were producing 10 eggs per week. After a month we still have not seen a single egg from them. I do not think they were eating well before, so i would expect them to start laying as soon as their nutrition is balanced.

In a nut shell, you don't really know when she'll start laying. Just try to give her good nutrition, oyster shell, and a nice place to nest.

 

[Stiggy]

Nice coop, she is one lucky hen. She looks like she may be moulting given she is missing some feathers. Good feed, tlc time and a safe place are what she needs, also some company since chickens are flock animals they don't cope well without a friend or 2

 

[ochochicas]

I agree on getting her a buddy. They might "argue" at first, but eventually they will appreciate the company.