Hi I’m new here

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OldMcBarry

In the Brooder
Sep 20, 2020
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13
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Good morning my name is Barry and I live in upstate South Carolina. I have been keeping chickens for about three years now, and have a total of 13 birds. I began with five hens, two Dominque and three Amerucana. About a year ago a friend gave me her 2 hens and I added them to the flock. One was an Amerucana and the other was a gold laced something... she’s about 4 I don’t think she’s ever laid since I’ve had her. Well this spring I raised four black copper marans and two blue Orpingtons from chicks. When they were four months old I integrated them in with the other seven. They seem to stay separated but get along okay.
So here’s my question... Ever since I integrated them the initial group of seven has virtually stopped playing. I was getting five eggs a day on average now I’m down to about that each week. Last month I discovered a black rat snake in a laying box inside the coop, but that problem has gone away, and now I have since discovered that one of the Marans is a rooster.
Any input or advise on how to get my egg production back up would be great an well as, should I keep the rooster?
Thanks in advance
 
Hello, Barry, and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
You have a few things going on here. The stress of adding the pullets to the flock, the black rat snake, and the onset of shortening days will all stop the hens from laying. You may not see eggs from the hens until next year. But the good news is your pullets should provide you with eggs through the winter.
 

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