Hi All,
I have five hens and recently introduced two more pullets (not at point of lay yet) to my flock for a total of seven chickens. They have ample room in the coop (coop is rated for up to 8 hens, with six nesting boxes and two roosts). They also have ample room in the run, which is 6' long by 6' high by 9' wide and free range most days.
Approximately, one week after the new additions, four out of five of my existing hens stopped laying. At the same time, all five of the existing chickens had runny noses (one was actually having other respiratory issues), so I took the one very sick hen to the vet and put them all on a course of Duramicyn. It's now ten days later, they have finished the Duramicyn and still only one of the hens is laying, but all of the hens are once again, healthy and active.
I don't understand why only one hen is laying just about every day and none of the others are.
Has anyone ever had an egg laying issue after introducing new pullets into their flock? Did the laying issue resolve after a period of time once the pecking order is re-established?
Would any of these other factors make a drastic difference in laying production?
-The course of Duramicyn
-Adding a second roost in the coop to accommodate more chickens
-Less sunlight than a few weeks ago due to seasonal change
-All five existing hens are now 14 months old
I have five hens and recently introduced two more pullets (not at point of lay yet) to my flock for a total of seven chickens. They have ample room in the coop (coop is rated for up to 8 hens, with six nesting boxes and two roosts). They also have ample room in the run, which is 6' long by 6' high by 9' wide and free range most days.
Approximately, one week after the new additions, four out of five of my existing hens stopped laying. At the same time, all five of the existing chickens had runny noses (one was actually having other respiratory issues), so I took the one very sick hen to the vet and put them all on a course of Duramicyn. It's now ten days later, they have finished the Duramicyn and still only one of the hens is laying, but all of the hens are once again, healthy and active.
I don't understand why only one hen is laying just about every day and none of the others are.
Has anyone ever had an egg laying issue after introducing new pullets into their flock? Did the laying issue resolve after a period of time once the pecking order is re-established?
Would any of these other factors make a drastic difference in laying production?
-The course of Duramicyn
-Adding a second roost in the coop to accommodate more chickens
-Less sunlight than a few weeks ago due to seasonal change
-All five existing hens are now 14 months old
