New chickens not laying eggs. Help?!

[rosemarythyme]

Most likely the issue is the new birds are new, and if you didn't do a see but no touch integration they're probably pretty overwhelmed and huddling together for protection from the other birds and because this is a new and unfamiliar place to them.

If there's no real bullying issues then I wouldn't go backward and separate them, but just make sure there's extra feeder available and maybe put in a bit of clutter, if you currently don't have any, to give them other hiding spot options: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

If they were all laying previously they may resume laying once they're more settled at your place, but that may take a few weeks.

 

[CaseyMc91]

Nods. Uh-huh, yeah, that should be plenty. Well, nothing is jumping out at me that sounds like an obvious problem, so it's probably just that it's unfamiliar digs. My advice, as someone mentioned previously, is to go out there about dark, round them up and put them where you want them to roost. Then, two options. If it's not too hot, keep them locked up for at least three days and nights so they "home" to the coop, OR, go out there every night for a week or so and stick them in the coop. You might try bribing them in with a little bucket full of scratch, then close the door after they're in, if your setup allows.

I think I will keep then shot in the coop for a couple days. It's supposed to storm pretty bad here for the next 3 or so days so that kind of works out anyways. Thank you!

 

[CaseyMc91]

Most likely the issue is the new birds are new, and if you didn't do a see but no touch integration they're probably pretty overwhelmed and huddling together for protection from the other birds and because this is a new and unfamiliar place to them.

If there's no real bullying issues then I wouldn't go backward and separate them, but just make sure there's extra feeder available and maybe put in a bit of clutter, if you currently don't have any, to give them other hiding spot options: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

If they were all laying previously they may resume laying once they're more settled at your place, but that may take a few weeks.

It's been around 2 weeks and only two of them have started to lay again. I've searched the yard to see if they're laying along the fence line or in the bushes but I've not found anything so far. All the chickens seem to get along good and there's plenty of food. Idk what else it could be.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

May just be poor timing too. Could they be going into molt? My 16 laying hens are giving me 1 to 3 eggs a day, and look like they've flown through a hurricane.