I have three chickens that had always laid their eggs very regularly.Not too long after moving to the redwood forest in California, we built a rather large coup for the three of them. One morning, after hearing the noisiest one screaming for a long time, I noticed that one of them had been killed by some animal that squeezed itself into the coup and killed it. Thereafter, we had them sleep every night at an enclosed wooden coup, to protect them. Now, we would like to keep the to remaining girls in their "new and safety improved" large coup but seems that they won't lay their eggs there, no matter what we do. My question is: Is there a trauma factor, which could be affecting their egg laying? Only one of the two remaining laid to eggs and that was the end of production. What could I do to entice them again? Any help I can get to assist "my girls" will be appreciated.
Do they free range? Could they have hidden nests? Do they act and look like laying hens? Are their combs and faces red? Do they squat like laying hens do? Perhaps if you keep them inside the coop for a few days, they might start to feel more at home there and lay there again. How long has it been since you lost your other girl? I think they can get traumatized. Good luck.
