Laying Hiatus following disruption

[rosemarythyme]

OP I'm in the same situation of sorts. All I can figure is too much change so the girls are just being defiant. lol
3wks ago we got 15 eggs in one day. We sold 5 of our hens.

Since then egg production has dropped to 4; maybe a day. We usually get 4 yesterday we got 6 or 7; thought things were doing better. Today we might only have 3!!
We should be getting around 10 eggs a day. (More since I've found out that's not molt but probably roo damage on the feathers.) Only have 1 who's being allowed to brood.
But we broke 2 others from brooding; I've yet to see one of them if not both lay since then! O.O

I'm at a loss other than selling the 5 hens stressed them on top of moving flocks around at night to the coop. (Having to add the geese & ducklings to the coop.)
And now their run is split some so the 9weekers can have space. lol So I guess it's just stress...all up in arms over things. lol Even though they're being fed well & taking care of. Smh.

That's a lot of change (birds in and out) plus brooding birds don't resume laying for a few weeks after being broken.

 

[BlessedChaosHomestead]

That's a lot of change (birds in and out) plus brooding birds don't resume laying for a few weeks after being broken.

Ooh thank you, Idk that piece of info! Never read that.

 

[Friendthechicken]

OP I'm in the same situation of sorts. All I can figure is too much change so the girls are just being defiant. lol
3wks ago we got 15 eggs in one day. We sold 5 of our hens.

Since then egg production has dropped to 4; maybe a day. We usually get 4 yesterday we got 6 or 7; thought things were doing better. Today we might only have 3!!
We should be getting around 10 eggs a day. (More since I've found out that's not molt but probably roo damage on the feathers.) Only have 1 who's being allowed to brood.
But we broke 2 others from brooding; I've yet to see one of them if not both lay since then! O.O

I'm at a loss other than selling the 5 hens stressed them on top of moving flocks around at night to the coop. (Having to add the geese & ducklings to the coop.)
And now their run is split some so the 9weekers can have space. lol So I guess it's just stress...all up in arms over things. lol Even though they're being fed well & taking care of. Smh.

Indeed, sensitive gals they are! Good luck.

 

[Friendthechicken]

Good evening everyone! Little update and continued conundrum here. I appreciate any insight! It’s now been a month or so, and I am pretty sure just one of the adults is the layer. She (Sporty) is the only one we see in the egg box. We get just one egg 5-6 days a week. The other two older gals seem pretty…uninterested. I’ve scoured their area for hidden nests (no luck), and I can’t tell much from their vents. I am not quite sure exactly what to look for. I’ll attach pics; the one with the big comb’s (Big Mama) vent does not look moist at all. The smaller comb (Baldy) does more so but…not sure. They are acting normal and seem healthy to me. Does anyone see anything different? Big Mama is the one most hastling the younger pullets.

Everyone is still on chick feed (scratch & peck) plus add-ons like sprouted wheat berries and every once in a while cracked corn (because Im a sucker) and meal worms. I put out oyster shell. It always gets spilled, but I think some of it’s getting eaten.

The one with little comb (Baldy) has always been a bit of a runt and had a hard molt last fall. The big comb (Big Mama) feathers are looking a little out of whack now, in the spring, but no signs of a big molt (yet?).

I got the older gals off Craiglist so I’ll admit some culpability there. They were supposedly all “laying” when I got them in September of last year, presumably having hatched the previous spring.

Additionally, I don’t know what breed they are but if anyone has insight im curious! Might be mixed?

Thank you so much!!

Hi everyone!
Long time reader, first time poster here. Thank you to all at BYC for the forum and insights. We have three laying hens who are entering their first spring as real layers…supposedly! I got them as fall pullets/young hens and don’t know the breed. In March, between the three of them we had about 18-20 eggs with one dominant layer (I think). We are in the PNW so the light was just returning. I had no artificial light in the coop. And then! I disrupted their flow. Three weeks ago, we kicked them out into a brand new homemade coop and then four days later, I moved our dog-crate indoor brooder and seven 5-week old chicks into the coop. They haven’t laid since. I’m looking for suggestions to get the older ladies back on track! Is three weeks a normal pause? Our daylight hours are getting long!

I have been able to maintain consistency more or less in the older gals food while integrating the young chicks. Their nest boxes are new and different, but they are similar in size. They are about 18” off the ground as is the first roost bar that everyone (older gals) seems to be able to get on comfortably. I have attached a pic of the nest boxes. The first few nights I had the chick brooder sort of directly under the nesting boxes, but I have since moved it thinking maybe that’s what was deterring the older gals. The water thing is not normally where it is in the photo aka not in the way. As you can see they are clean and nice and NOT nested in. Any suggestions to get my older gals back to nesting and laying? Should I build them a ramp? Add a curtain?

PS: Integration is going great btw because I know you’re curious!

Thank you!!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Does anyone see anything different? Big Mama is the one most hastling the younger pullets.

I got the older gals off Craiglist so I’ll admit some culpability there. They were supposedly all “laying” when I got them in September of last year, presumably having hatched the previous spring.

They look to be in good health as far as I can see, combs are red and such.

It's difficult to guess ages on adult birds so no real way to tell if they're older than claimed.

 

[aart]

I can’t tell much from their vents. I am not quite sure exactly what to look for.

This might help:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

I’ve scoured their area for hidden nests

How big an area do they have?
If the exam above show they are likely laying, then best to confine them to the coop and run.
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop/run for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

 

[Friendthechicken]

It's difficult to guess ages on adult birds so no real way to tell if they're older than claimed.

Yeah…this is what makes me wonder if I got duped. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Friendthechicken]

This might help:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

How big an area do they have?
If the exam above show they are likely laying, then best to confine them to the coop and run.
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop/run for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

Thanks for the article!! I didn’t know about pelvic points. I will try out that test on the gals.

There in an 8x10’ coop with an attached run that’s about twice as long (8x20). We tightened up the free range idea when we added the new pullets thinking all of them together would really cover our yard in poop. There’s an area of the run thats uncovered where the laying one seems to be the only one who lets herself out during the day, although I see a pullet learning to follow. But so far her eggs are in the egg boxes. Then she hops out in the afternoon. I took the fake eggs (two round tan stones) out when she started laying, but I’ll stick them back in the other boxes now. And let the little ones notice them too.

Thanks so much for your help. I’ll keep you posted!