Chickens not laying eggs

[jlj1212]

Hi everyone! so about 5-6 weeks ago we got 4 new chickens, they are about year old, we did the introduction process and took awhile for the new ones to starting coming out in the run, ( they were spending all their time inside coop, scared of our original 8, ( even though original 8 could care less about them now) now they have been coming out in the run for 5 days and still no eggs from them , any idea why ??? They have been out in sun and even free ranged a few hours each day, we got eggs from them the first week as they made the transition to thier new home, haven't gotten any eggs from them in over 4 weeks, boyfriend is starting to get frustrated. Any ideas why or what we can do ?
Thanks

 

[Spangled]

Of course, you've already read through some of this thread from the top of the Egglaying forum:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/423023/why-arent-my-chickens-laying-here-are-your-answers



They are past the transition time and really should be laying eggs if you and your boyfriend have been waiting 4 weeks.

Urg.

Since your other hens are laying, this is a real puzzler.

Are there windows in your coop so that light from dawn and twilight gets in the coop. Laying is all about lighting. With the days getting longer, they should be laying. If you don't have windows in your coop, then you need to let the hens out at dawn. You probably have windows, but I've seen coops with no windows and think, "Ooops ... made by someone who doesn't understand chickens."

How about the protein level of the feed? 16% protein is like the lowest diet most hens can manage to lay eggs on. Because protein costs so much, 16% is what most commercial complete feeds contain. However, there used to be some 18% protein layer feeds out there. Maybe you could try that.

Along the same line, maybe you could limit their feed to just their complete balanced laying feed ... assuming you sometimes give them table scraps or scratch. Of course, keep providing the animal protein-rich table scraps (milk, meat, cheese, pan scraping, bones from the roast to pick clean). The grains (corn, oats, etc.) are lower in protein than the complete layer feed and lessen that 16% protein level, which is necessary for most chickens to lay eggs ... so extra grains are not a good idea until after they get re-established laying.

The old stand-by: Keep fresh water available at all times. Eggs are made up of a lot of water. (I'm sure you already know this!)

I don't know ... I'd guess something like maybe they weren't laying for the old owner, but that's not true because you were getting eggs from the new hens when they arrived at your place.

Color me stumped. I suspect you know all this, but I don't want you to think no one is paying attention.

 

[jlj1212]

Ya they have great feed, always have clean water, one inside and one outside, ( with 12 chickens we are filling up every day almost!) they get some scraps each day but nothing crazy amount, and they get to free range for an hour or two every night
the babies ( the new ones) were afraid to come out for the longest time ( I think they had bad chicken lives before we got them - very small coop and tiny tiny run they now have a big coop and run) so they were not getting light, however for the last 5 days they have been coming out, getting tons of sunshine, one of the new ones an americana, loves to sunbathe, lol she isn't taking a dirt bath, she just lies in the sun so funny to watch,
Ya I checked everything before I posted this, I read stuff on the internet and posts here and it's just not making sense to me,
Would it take several days of them being back in the sunlight to start laying eggs or is this something that should happen immediately ? I know for sure we are not getting eggs from two of them ( the americanas) because they lay blue eggs the other two are isa browns and we already had 4 reds and 2 isas and 2 buffs so they all lay brown eggs so the new isas could be laying...
just frustrated the chickens aren't doing their job!
lol

 

[Spangled]

Would it take several days of them being back in the sunlight to start laying eggs or is this something that should happen immediately? I know for sure we are not getting eggs from two of them ( the americanas) because they lay blue eggs

You mean they've been inside a coop with no windows until just five days ago? You'd think that they'd get enough light, though, from the door. I think they only need 40Watts (incandescent) for it to register in their brain. But, yeah, they could need a little more time if they're just getting out into the run and sunshine and used to it again. Two weeks of calm and normal is about how long it usually takes after trauma/shock/big changes for hens to get their stuff all working again ... you know ... the hormones adjusted, the yolks maturing. Of course, not all hens need that much time, but most of mine do. Plus I read it somewhere that that's how long it takes for the egg-laying system to get back up and running once it has shut completely down; I'm not completely making this stuff up as I go.

I myself am waiting on three hens to start laying again. I moved them to a new home and they are making their adjustments. They're on about day 10 or so. No eggs.

 

[jlj1212]

Ya they have been in the coop, they have had the opportunity to go outside( the door is always open during daylight hours) but they have been to scared of the others chickens, I finally just started pushing them out because I was sick of them staying in coop all day, they realized the other ones don't care about them anymore and are actually outside every day, guess it's only been 5 days and you said you are waiting and it's day 10 for you, so hopefully by the weekend or one day next week, at least I have some information to tell the boyfriend, he is getting frustrated feeding chickens that aren't producing!

Been a stressful last 5-6 weeks on me and I am sure on the chickens!
Want to get some more blue eggs!