Hens stopped laying

[Vespalucci]

Hi all. This is my first post here. Some quick background, I was given 4 egg laying hens. A friend of a friend bought a new house and his yard was too small and he decided that he wanted to find a new home for his chickens. I now have them. We moved them last week, and moved the coop and run. It was a bit traumatizing for them I think. We had to chase three of them around to get them into a box to move them.

They had been laying for about a year at this point. We set up the cool and run in my back yard and have been taking good care of them. They have yet to start laying again, and I am guessing it was from the stress of the move.

One thing that is different is that previously they were able to move around their previous back yard. It was small, maybe 20X20. My back yard is huge, and so far I have not let them out of the run. I need to shore up some things first. It would be very easy for them to get out at the moment. I am also preparing a 10X20 area for them. It was a low spot in the yard that I filled in with dirt this past weekend. I plan to make a larger pen for them, and then eventually once I get the rest of the yard secured up I can let them run about.

What do you think? Is there anything I should be doing to make them more comfortable at the moment? There is only one nesting box and the coop is basically two levels, I was thinking of building another box on the lower level.

Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Chickens like consistency and a routine. Change is always stressful. So set them up and let them be for a while before making any new changes. Give them time to adapt to their new home. Expect anywhere from a week to a month or so for them to feel comfortable again.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

Yes, it will take some time for the to acclimate to the new surroundings.
It's good to leave them in the coop for a at least a few days to 'home' to their new home before allowing ranging.

Did you get their old coop along with the birds?
If so, the one nest should be fine and it will help them feel comfortable to be in familiar housing.

Where they laying like the day before the move?
How old in months are they and have they molted?

 

[Vespalucci]

I did get the old coop and run with the chickens.

They were laying before this. The day I went to get them there were two eggs.

Ohe hatched in April 2015, the other three hatched in August 2016.

The guy that gave them to me said he thought they might be molting, although we have not seen bare patches or anything like that. just a few feather.

As of this morning still no eggs. They are eating a lot though.

 

[aart]

I did get the old coop and run with the chickens.

They were laying before this. The day I went to get them there were two eggs.

Ohe hatched in April 2015, the other three hatched in August 2016.

The guy that gave them to me said he thought they might be molting, although we have not seen bare patches or anything like that. just a few feather.

As of this morning still no eggs. They are eating a lot though.

The older one might molt, the youngers probably not.
Might take some time...hard to be patient.