After 2 weeks in their new home, stopped laying

[VT-510]

Yeah, thanks. The more I read about it, the more it made sense.
I have noticed an abundance of feathers floating around, when one of the NH Reds ruffled up this eve, I noticed what looked like it could be a little raw bald spot and two of them were dirt bathing today.
So these can just be brought onto the property by another avian source, what a drag as I live in a wet land and the birds here are incredible... in beauty and in numbers.
So, once I clean them up, I would imagine if I kept them in an enclosed run, it would probably make the likelihood of picking up something like this less, ummm, likely??

 

[CMV]

Don't bother. They will still get bugs...and be miserable for not being able to free-range. I frequently have mite issues, as well. I just do a very thorough bug check in the late fall to make sure they don't have them going into winter. The bugs aren't such a problem in the other 3 seasons, but in the winter when the birds can't dust bathe because everything is frozen solid, that's when the bugs become a big problem. This winter is the only winter for the last 3 years that I have not had mites in the birds. I keep a pour-on treatment on hand to deal with them when they show up, and I use poultry dust in the coop regularly during the winter months. During the other seasons, I keep the dust bathing area treated with poultry dust, DE, and wood ashes. I even went into the forest that surrounds my house and found several ruffed grouses' dusting areas and treated them the same way. I am hoping if I continue to treat not just my birds, but some of the resident wildlife as well, I will have fewer problems overall. That would be nice.

 

[VT-510]

Noticeable "flecks" of blood on the chest of my white bird this morning and the feathers around my property is starting to become really apparent. I am off to go hunting for little legged vermin right now.

 

[VT-510]

So I have been out 3 times at night this week, and still no sign of anything nefarious. Could they just be in transition with the new location?
I am vexed.

 

[sourland]

So I have been out 3 times at night this week, and still no sign of anything nefarious. Could they just be in transition with the new location?
I am vexed.

Yes. And the feather loss may be the beginning of an 'off season' molt brought on by the stress of relocation.

 

[VT-510]

Thanks for the reply. Sorry, I am new to this. So, it would not be uncommon then, for them to lay normally for the first 5-7 days after the move and THEN start to go under stress and stop laying entirely? How long could I expect this non productive period to be?
Also, the "molt" does not appear to be happening from the top down, is that normal too?

 

[sourland]

Frequently after being relocated hens will lay for the first 3 or 4 days - it's assumed that these eggs were already in the 'assembly line'. Changes in environment, food and resultant stress can also initiate a molt - although this is somewhat unusual at this time of year. When molting some chickens 'blow' all their feathers at once, some start at the head and neck, some start with occassional feathers here and there - it pretty much varies from bird to bird. If they are indeed in a molt it will take longer to resume egg laying than if they are just adjusting to their new home.

 

[VT-510]

Very good to know, the de-feathering seems to have slowed, I am hoping that they will return to egg production soon.

 

[VT-510]

Well, they've started laying again. 2 today and yesterday, one the day before that.
Thanks for all of the input.