Hens not laying long after pullets arrived

[kyn26]

We added 3 pullets to our flock of 3 at the beginning of June. Our older hens were laying just fine. The pullets joined the flock very easily, with only about a week of annoyed screaming from the older ladies. We switched to flock raiser for food. Soon the older ladies stopped laying at the exact same time, even as the routine came back. We had a bout of worms that we treated for, and now they are back on their old layer food. In that time, one of the pullets turned out to be a rooster, so it's just the 5 ladies now.

Everyone gets along fine, no aggression or squabbles, and from what I see no more worms. They have more than enough water, pools for keeping cool, a large run, and get supervised "recess" in the yard each day.

Any ideas why the older ones aren't laying again? It has been about 2 months and it has been about a month since the worm issue. My other thought was maybe they went through a mid-summer molt? Or stress from changing food, but now everything is as it was.

(I checked around for hidden laying spots and haven't found any)

 

[sourland]

Addition of new birds, change in feed, change back to old feed - chickens hate change. They may have been due for a break in their laying cycle depending on their age. This may have precipitated the break. They may go through a molt before resuming production.

 

[AprilWC]

You don't mention the age of your hens or their breeds. All of the recent changes have probably attributed to the lack of eggs as well as summer heat. My birds stopped laying around the beginning of July due to the extreme heat. We are just now getting back to spotty laying - one or two eggs per day compared to six or seven before the break.

 

[aart]

(I checked around for hidden laying spots and haven't found any)

You might have to be more assertive.

After an exam...do they look like they are laying?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop/run for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.