Our Chickens (two) were laying eggs every day in their coop. When we introduced four new members which were about six to seven weeks old the two adults stopped laying eggs in the coop. They found a box outside the house that fit their needs and started laying in there. One has not layed but two eggs since we placed the new members in their coop six weeks ago. Today we found another one of her eggs in the box but this egg was only about the six of a quarter. I understand that when new chickens are introduced, the layers may stop laying for a while. What to do????
There's nothing you can do. New members cause stress and disruptions which will often cause a halt in lay. If you think about the biology of egg laying it makes perfect sense. Hens lay to reproduce even though we have altered the behavior in such a way that hens keep right on producing. If something in their environment changes and causes stress to the hen it's no longer a safe place to raise their young so they stop producing until they feel safe again. Your hens will resume a normal pattern when they feel safe and comfortable again. Fairy eggs, those tiny eggs are often caused by bits of tissue that are released and are treated like they were a yolk. Stress or system glitches cause those too. You can block off their new nest site and hope they return to your boxes or continue to collect in their new spot and hope they return to your boxes. You should keep fake eggs in your nestboxes as a sign it's a safe place to lay.
