Hen stopped laying

[PotreroHillChickens]

We are new chicken owners on a deck in SF. We have four chickens total.
We adopted one hen from a humane society. We don't know the breed. She was laying one egg every day or two very consistently. For one week now, no eggs. The day we adopted her, we also adopted two pullets of indeterminate breed from a farm. One is a small bantam type. We noticed that each night now Henny Penny (the mature chicken) sits on top of both of the young pullets. But still she was laying. Now we see her sitting on the smallest one on the floor of the coop often during the day. Nothing else has changed in terms of diet or anything. Any suggestions? Can a hen become "broody" with non related smaller pullets? On another note, we have one additional chicken in the coop - a golden sex link that was born in January. She still isn't laying. Any ideas when she might lay? Also, though we have two nest boxes that they used in the beginning - now all the chickens are sleeping on top of the nest box, with the two smallest usually beginning the night under the mature chicken. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[poseygrace]

In my experience, chickens can take weeks or even months to adjust to changes (being moved, new chickens being added, etc). I have found that the hen will lay for a few days after the change, because there are already eggs "in the pipeline" so to speak. Could that be the case? You didn't say how long she laid after you first brought her in. Just a thought! Hopefully she will kick it back into gear for you soon. I have two BLRWs that I added to my flock May 1st. They laid the first 3 days, then nada since then. It's very frustrating!

I have a feeling Henny Penny is sitting on the pullets to show dominance, not out of broodiness.

And the pullet hatched in January will probably lay for you before summer's out. It can take anywhere from 5-7 months, or even longer in some cases. Good luck!

 

[PotreroHillChickens]

Thanks Poseygrace. Henny Penny layed consistently for a full month or more, so I don't think it's the stress of moving. It could be dominance with the small chicken, but it's the small chicken that seems to WANT to be under her. Both of the smaller chickens push up under her. The smallest one chirps and chirps loudly while pushing on her, until finally she is all the way under with just her beak poking out the back. Sometimes they are both under her, with one beak out the front and one the back. Odd. I don't see many other posts about this -- is it unusual for a former factory chicken to find a mothering side? It's certainly sweet, but I want the eggs again.

 

[MarinMama]

Welcome PH,

I'm in Marin...we were in SF for years and our family live in PH...trying to get them to catch the chicken bug.

New to chickens so can't help but wanted to welcome you'll