Moving coops, varying ages, starting to lay

[Jess406]

This is my first year with chickens. I free range everyone during the day and secure doors on the coop after they have come in for the night. Two hens are aprox 18 wks, the rest of the flock is aprox 14 wks.

Rookie mistake- the older ones have shown definite signs of laying for 2wks (very red comb, squatting, etc) so I hurried and moved them to the larger coop with enclosed run (the 2 older ones were spoiled and got their own space long after separation was necessary). I'm guessing the stress of moving caused a delay in laying. To train them to lay in the nesting boxes I've read to enclose them and put falsies in the nesting box. The coop and run is big enough for everyone but it's certainly not huge. They're used to roaming during the day.

Should I keep everyone enclosed or just the 2 older gals? Will moving plus separation cause even more stress if I keep the 2 older ones in?

 

[Alaskan]

If they are all happy together, I would keep them all together.

I would put a couple of fake eggs in the nestbox, and then try not to worry for a month.

It is fall...maturation is slower in the fall.

 

[Jess406]

They all get along great. I'm afraid that they're going to lay eggs in the bushes where they hang out all day instead of the nesting boxes. Their coop is cool but not as fabulous as the bushes are, I guess. I don't have any laying already to set an example. Is that a silly worry?

 

[Alaskan]

I would just keep checking the bushes until you see the first egg....

The fake egg in the nest box will help lots.

 

[aart]

You could keep them confined for part of the day.
Vary the time you let them out, some days don't let them out at all.
This will get them used to not always ranging, and they will be less stressed to being confined if/when you need to confine them to habituate to laying in the nests.

 

[Jess406]

Great advice, thank you. They ended up laying their first egg in the nesting box, yay! Not sure which one laid it, but either way, good news. We received 3 eggs in 3 days (one per day) and have yet to see any more for 4-5 days. I'll do some research on that subject before worrying too much ;-)

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

You could keep them confined for part of the day.
Vary the time you let them out, some days don't let them out at all.
This will get them used to not always ranging, and they will be less stressed to being confined if/when you need to confine them to habituate to laying in the nests.

Arrt, that is exactly what I do, its like we are flock mates

Either that or I just spend way too much time on this sight, DH calls it my chicken porn!

To confine them for any reason, like leaving for the weekend


Gary