How long before a hen starts laying after being moved?

ChickenKeep01

Songster
5 Years
Jul 2, 2016
224
34
121
Australia
I recently got a glw hen for my rooster and she has gone through quite a change in climate with a average temperature of about 40c (105f) at her hold home and about a average of 30c (85f) where she is now. the location is also extremely different being about 300m higher than what she was before and she has a very different coop and run, with a new rooster and 2 young chicks, this seams to have put her off laying for a while and im wondering how long it might be before she starts again

Thanks in advance
 
I'm no expert, maybe since temperature difference, she might be getting ready to molt her feather and get the new ones.. if so she won't lay until that process is over, make sure she is getting plenty of proteins. Also if she doesn't feel comfortable she might not lay. how is the lighting compared to the other coop? if the lighting is different that might cause her not to lay.. expecially if it is darker than she is used to. it might just take time for her to adjust to the new place, new rooster and chicks.. give her extra treats and pet her a little more.. attention might help her feel safer and calmer..
 
How old is she?

Does she appear healthy?

Those are some pretty big changes, and even in the best of circumstances, would throw a hen off laying for a few weeks to a few months.

If she is also experiencing transition stress or latent illness brought on by stress, those matters will have to be addressed.

Check her for mites/lice and any possible parasites which are opportunistic with transitions.

If she looks bright eyed, clear beaked, and glossy feathered, then likely she will lay sooner than later.

That much of temperature transition may cause a molt, which will delay things further.

If she went from sea level to 300 m, that shouldn't affect her so much, unless she went from hillside to mountainside. Then, the total altitude could make a difference if you are in mountain climate and thinner air altitude.

My thoughts.
LofMc
 
I'm no expert, maybe since temperature difference, she might be getting ready to molt her feather and get the new ones.. if so she won't lay until that process is over, make sure she is getting plenty of proteins. Also if she doesn't feel comfortable she might not lay. how is the lighting compared to the other coop? if the lighting is different that might cause her not to lay.. expecially if it is darker than she is used to. it might just take time for her to adjust to the new place, new rooster and chicks.. give her extra treats and pet her a little more.. attention might help her feel safer and calmer..
The lighting in her new coop is much better and she has much more room previously she was just in a small wooden box about 2 meters by 2 meters with one wire side. She unfortunately is very shy and does not like to be picked up (i have been trying to to get to close to her) and the rooster with her is very aggressive towards humans (not other chooks i have seen him protecting the 2 chick 2 month old chicks that arent his). Going in with him is usually fine if you have food or a ski pole but if you touch any of the other choocks (execpt for the other rooster that lives next to him) he will loose it and attack so i cant get to near the hen anyways

How old is she?

Does she appear healthy?

Those are some pretty big changes, and even in the best of circumstances, would throw a hen off laying for a few weeks to a few months.

If she is also experiencing transition stress or latent illness brought on by stress, those matters will have to be addressed.

Check her for mites/lice and any possible parasites which are opportunistic with transitions.

If she looks bright eyed, clear beaked, and glossy feathered, then likely she will lay sooner than later.

That much of temperature transition may cause a molt, which will delay things further.

If she went from sea level to 300 m, that shouldn't affect her so much, unless she went from hillside to mountainside. Then, the total altitude could make a difference if you are in mountain climate and thinner air altitude.

My thoughts.
LofMc
She seams healthy enough with a nice red come but many of her tail feathers are damaged or missing. she also had a small flap of skin on her back which i had to cut off. She doesnt have any mice or lice i have put some medicine in her water just in case she has worms and it was from sea level to 300.
 
Did she come with damaged tail feathers? Do you know why?

What do you mean? Flap of skin...from being over bred maybe? Or trauma? Or??

She sounds like she could be molting now or was being hazed in her old place (and possibly still at your new place) or has a feather infestation (which means you hopefully have her isolated from your flock).

There can be health reasons for hazing if that were the case.

Can you post a picture?

An unstressed healthy hen will have good comb color and clean, glossy, undamaged feathers.

Coming with damage and not laying now could be signs of something amiss.

How did you get her? Edited to add...saw other post...so is she a battery hen? She may be definitely stressed and perhaps older.

LofMc
 
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And close quarters in the old place can definitely cause feather picking.

Are you sure the rooster is not harassing her? Or trying to breed all the time? That can cause a lot of stress in a hen.
 
She came with damaged tail feathers it looks like just from fighting with the other hen and rooster she with the same with the flap of skin in was only small about 5 millimetres by 5 millimetres i'll have some pics soon. her comb colour is nice and red as it should be and aside from her tail feathers all of her feathers are clean, glossy and undamaged
Did she come with damaged tail feathers? Do you know why?

What do you mean? Flap of skin...from being over bred maybe? Or trauma? Or??

She sounds like she could be molting now or was being hazed in her old place (and possibly still at your new place) or has a feather infestation (which means you hopefully have her isolated from your flock).

There can be health reasons for hazing if that were the case.

Can you post a picture?

An unstressed healthy hen will have good comb color and clean, glossy, undamaged feathers.

Coming with damage and not laying now could be signs of something amiss.

How did you get her? Edited to add...saw other post...so is she a battery hen? She may be definitely stressed and perhaps older.

LofMc
 
Sorry for the low quality pictures i had to take them on my phone. Tommorw morning i will have some better ones
 

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she also had a small flap of skin on her back which i had to cut off.
Would love to see a good clear closeup of this.
Was it part of a wound?

She does look red enough to be laying....but no telling how long until she lays again, she may molt from stress and/or the day lengths are declining there.
 

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