Laying due to stress maybe?

[tattooedchick21]

Hello we have had our chickens for a year in March we had 4 hens and 1 rooster in our original flock. We were letting these guys free range I got 8 more babies this March and acquired one that was born in Feb about 4 weeks and introduce her to my original flock. Now over memorial day weekend I witnessed a coyote get one of my hens blanche. My rooster was trying to protect her we chased the coyote off and retrieved blanches body to bury. The next day we fenced our coops in completely and stopped letting the bigger ones free range. However this meant that they are also with the younger babies as well I have two coops in the area and extra more than enough nesting boxes. My original 4 were all laying eggs daily. Now I'm only getting 1 to 3 eggs a day. I understand a lot has changed for them in just a short time but my question is how long do you think before it goes back to normal or should I be doing something else to get them to be comfortable and happy again.

 

[Mtnboomer]

The stress of predators can alter kaying for a few days even a week. But most should go back to normal in that time so long as the coyote or other predator doesn't return to continue harassing them.
Also heat slows my birds down. In april- early june we got over 800 eggs from 14 hens. Now that temps are regularly getting into the 80s, they dropped to 8 eggs a day.

 

[tattooedchick21]

Thank you I was thinking the heat could also be a reason I'm in nc and it is starting to get very humid and hot.

 

[aart]

Thank you I was thinking the heat could also be a reason I'm in nc and it is starting to get very humid and hot.

Here's some hot weather tips:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/

Oh, and... Welcome to BYC! @tattooedchick21
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