New and naive

[Jacks3607]

Hello! We just got 5 hens last weekend - 2 are white and mature and had been laying previous to coming to our home. Three are brown and seem young to me. One of the white ones laid an egg on her 2nd day here - we were quite excited! But that was it - we have not seen another egg from any of them. They LOVE our yard and wander all day eating and lounging - we have tried to check their favorite spots to see if they are "hiding" eggs from us. They have a great coop with a laying box (which the white bird used for her egg). Am I giving them too much freedom? Should I keep them "cooped up" to see if they lay? I love having them so happy but I would like some eggs too

Thanks!

 

[Big dreams]

Do they go in their coop at night? On their own? It can take them a little while to get settled in.

 

[Judy]

Yup, let them have their freedom, they will love it, and it will help them adjust. Maybe in a week or so they will feel settled in.

 

[Little Chicky]

It's usually recommended to keep your chickens confined to their coop for a few days, until they know its "home". Then they'll come straight back to it at night without a problem. They're probably laying their eggs in secret spots outside. Put some golf balls or wooden eggs in the nesting box so they understand that's where they lay. If you still can't find any eggs, your chicken might be going through a molt, at which point they stop laying for a little bit.

Good luck and welcome to BYC!

 

[gumpsgirl]

Do you have a run attached to the coop? If so, I'd leave them in the run for awhile until they get used to their new digs. Chickens are creatures of habit and once their normal routine has been thrown off, it takes awhile for them to readjust to things.

If you can, I would definitely keep them in close quarters for awhile so they get used to everything and where they are supposed to lay their eggs, i.e. the nesting boxes. You don't want to go on and Easter egg hunt everyday to collect eggs.

BTW, welcome to BYC!

 

[ChooksChick]

I've often heard that it can take a couple of weeks to be comfy enough to lay after a move. The one egg may already have been on the conveyor belt...

Post us some pics and we can help with the age and breed of the new girls!

 

[Jacks3607]

Wow - you guys are quick and so friendly

The girls knew their coop right away - they come to it if they are nervous during the day and they head "home" each evening. We put an egg from the fridge in the nesting box that first day and viola the chicken laid one right next to it! Golf balls is a great idea! I will wait and see - we have checked their "hangouts" for eggs but have not found any in the yard. I hope they learn to use their boxes!

 

[fordmommy]

I see you only have 2 posts and are new.

 

[cmom]

and congratulations on your first egg from your new girls. I agree with the other posts it may take some time to readjust to their new home. You may not notice it but any change in a chickens life can affect their egg production. Give them some time and I'm sure they will come around. I also have a golf ball in each nest box. Also I shut my girls in their coop for the first couple of days before I let them out. I opened their pop door and let them venture out at their own will. They may even re-establish their pecking order.