Chooks moved home....and stopped laying!!!

[Taraholland]

I've just joined the site (hi all!) and would love some advice and pearls of wisdom from you experienced chicken owners! We have just inherited two gorgeous girls-Plymouth Barred Rocks- who are 2 years old. My friend, their owner, is travelling overseas for a year and we are the lucky new foster parents! We moved their entire setup here (coop and run) 5 days ago and since then neither have laid.They are having plenty of free roaming time and lots of yummy food scraps and seem very happy! I imagine they are simply settling into their new rhythm and will come right soon- but my children are desperate to discover an egg in the morning when they run out to check.. and have, thus far, been disappointed! My friend said that, on average , each chicken lays about 5 eggs per week.
I believe one of the girls was/is broody and hadn't laid for about a week prior to coming to us. My question is: How long should we expect no eggs for? Thanks!

 

[myfinefeatheredfriends]

Hello and welcome to the BYC flock! Well if she is truly broody and just hasn't stopped laying for the winter, it takes 21 days for chicken eggs to hatch, plus another 6-8 weeks before they leave the nest soooo... quite a while yet. If she just stopped laying for winter, she should start up again once the weather is warmer. Good luck with your new girls!

 

[Taraholland]

Hi!
I should have said; we are in New Zealand so in the height of summer! Also she can't actually be broody as she has never met a rooster!!! However, my friend said that chickens can become 'broody' every now and then and think they are 'expecting' which lasts for a few weeks and then they start laying again. I am a novice, so have no idea - except I know out spayed bunny (who has never had a romance either!) makes a nest using her fur every now and then and her behaviour changes for short periods of time, then she 'comes right' again.
Hmm......!

 

[gryeyes]

Hens don't need no stinkin' roosters to go broody. They just need to hatch sumpin' - so some folks buy fertilized eggs for 'em to incubate and hatch.

 

[sumi]

Hello and welcome to BYC

Being moved is stressful for chickens, so they won't lay for awhile, unfortunately. It can take a few weeks for them to settle in at their new home. Apple Cider Vinegar helps with stress though. Maybe try that? The ratio is 4-5 tablespoons per gallon water. Good luck and hope your kids find an eggs soon!

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, TaraHolland, and

! Great to have you with us! I agree with the advice of sumi - the move was most likely stressful - they will lay soon. Best of luck to you!

 

[willowbranchfarm]

Welcome to BYC!!!! Glad you joined.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

Hello and welcome to BYC   Being moved is stressful for chickens, so they won't lay for awhile, unfortunately. It can take a few weeks for them to settle in at their new home. Apple Cider Vinegar helps with stress though. Maybe try that? The ratio is 4-5 tablespoons per gallon water. Good luck and hope your kids find an eggs soon!

Hi and from Ohio. So glad to have you aboard. I agree as well.

 

[missnu01]

Are you sure they aren't laying somewhere else? I only ask because I have been waiting and waiting on a hen we got to lay, and today I found her stash...lol. We bought her as a mama hen with 7 chicks that are now almost 5 months old and she still hadn't gone back to laying...then finally the other day there was a tiny egg in the nest box, and then today I found her sitting on a nest under the stairs...So. look all around, but I wouldn't worry too much. The eggs will come.

 

[sourland]

Chickens hate change. The move has set them off - if they don't go into a molt, they should resume egg laying within a month.