Are my chickens on strike ?

obi wan henobi

In the Brooder
Jan 31, 2021
22
17
31
Sydney, Australia
Hi all, I'm hoping someone can help me solve this mystery.

We got four hens in July - 2 ISA browns, 1 leghorn, 1 australorp. They took their time to start laying (around 26/27 weeks) but were happily doing so.

About a month ago we added an araucana and a welsummer. We introduced them slowly, and even then it took them a while to settle down. Even now I sometimes see the new girls getting snipped at if they walk too close to the originals.

Around the same time, we noticed a massive reduction in eggs. At first we attributed this to the stress of welcoming new hens. Still only a few eggs. Then we thought the new girls might have brought lice with them, so we treated all hens and the coop accordingly (even though the only evidence we saw was a few slightly runny scats and two of the girls had messy vents). All droppings appear to have returned to normal, the girls with messy vents are all tidy and feathers are growing back in. They have their pellets with the occasional meal worm feast and sometimes scraps.

Last week we got 6 eggs. They were all brown. Usually we have brown and white. The week before they were mostly white. I'm not expecting anything from the new girls as they're only 20 weeks now.

I don't know what is going on at this point. Does anybody have any theories ?
 
Thanks for the response :) I did think that after a quick google but haven't seen any signs of it on the chooks. I will keep an eye on them. Do they do that every year ? It's weird that it seems like one of them is still laying (or perhaps both the ISA browns)
 
We got four hens in July

I'm a little confused by the way you wrote your numbers.

First, did you buy chicks, pullets (under a year), or hens (over a year)?

Second, how old are they now?

*Usually* pullets will lay through their first winter then molt the next fall and every fall thereafter. During the molt they usually stop laying or lay only infrequently. :)
 
I'm a little confused by the way you wrote your numbers.

First, did you buy chicks, pullets (under a year), or hens (over a year)?

Second, how old are they now?

*Usually* pullets will lay through their first winter then molt the next fall and every fall thereafter. During the molt they usually stop laying or lay only infrequently. :)
We bought pullets, they were 14 weeks old from memory. Started laying around 26-27 weeks. They're currently 40 weeks.

Thanks so much. Moulting does seem most likely at this point... only because nothing else seems to make sense. I guess I just expected them to look more ragged ! They're actually looking more glam than ever, especially the australorp !
 
I've searched the entire yard :) I was hoping for a hidden egg stash but no such luck.

On the plus side, when they do lay - they are now laying in the nesting boxes ! That was our first challenge
All of them?
Might be time for an exam:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/
Then maybe....
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop/run for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.
 

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