Just Started with adult hens . . . is this normal?

[kamiahchick]

Hi Everyone!
I just got started with chickens. I purchased 6 hens from some folks who had an ad on CL. They are supposedly 7-8 month old hens (3 RIR and 3 EE). I drove 2 hours to pick them up and brought them home after purchasing. They are in a coop with a closed off run. I have now had them for 3 days. The first day I had them, they laid 4 eggs, the second day, 2 eggs and today 2 eggs. Does this seem a little low? It is hot right now (106 F). I give them cool water and hose down the run; I even hose the hens off themselves when they are really panting. I covered the run to give them shade. It's pretty big, it's 20X10 for the 6 hens. They are laying in the nest boxes and putting themselves to bed, and during the day they explore and run around- this leads me to think that they are probably oriented and not stressed. I am feeding them basic layer food, oyster shell, lettuce and random table scraps. Here are my questions:

1) Is this number of eggs normal for these breeds at 7-8mos.
2) If this is not normal, what am I doing wrong??? Am I too impatient and need to give them a few more weeks to settle in? Is it too hot? Are the chickens older than advertised?

Thanks a lot for your help!

 

[TheChickenQueen]

I wouldn't expect a lot of eggs for awhile, moves tend to stress them out.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I know the heat will slow them down as well. My old girls barely lay an egg in the hot summer.

 

[kamiahchick]

@TheChickenQueen: Thanks, I figured that I was probably getting impatient. (On a side note, I'm in North Central Idaho, nice to see a fellow Idahoan on here!

)

 

[azygous]

I concur. You are lucky to be getting any eggs at all after moving the hens into new quarters. They must be feeling very calm and very much at home to be laying already.