New Flock isn't laying or roosting - please help

[sneakytoes02]

So I am new to chickens. Just got my flock of 24 about 2 weeks ago. I looked at them when I picked them up, and thought those poor scraggly suckers! I almost didn't take them, but they were living in little boxes 24-7 and I felt sorry for them. I brought them home and released them into the run/coop and the poor things just stood there looking confused. When it started to get dark I had to pick up each one and put her in the coop. I wasn't sure if they even knew how to roost, so I put a 4x4 on the floor and put them all on that.
It has now been 2 weeks, first 2 days they layed about 7 eggs, and since then about 2 or 3 per day. They just hang out on the floor, lay eggs on the floor, and never go out side. Are they broken by their former life? Can they become normal free range chickens? I worry about them, they don't roost, use the nesting boxes, or even seem to be dust bathing. They do seem to be a little bit fluffier/feathery than when they arrived, and they are eating and drinking well. Thanks for any advice.

 

[gtaus]

How old are your birds? Are they still considered to be in production age?

In any case, your birds are probably under a lot of stress and it might take some time for them to get used to their new life and start laying eggs again. I am hopeful that their chicken instincts will take over at some point, and they will instinctively start acting like "real" chickens - scratching the ground for food, going inside the coop at nightfall, etc....

You might have to put in some extra work training the birds to scratch for food by throwing them some treats in the chicken run. You might have to carry them to the coop and put them inside at nightfall until they get the idea on their own. You might have to place the chickens on the roost bar for the night until they do it themselves. You might have to put a few fake eggs in the nest boxes to encourage the chickens to lay their eggs there.

At any rate, I hope you keep this thread updated on your progress and how your chickens are adjusting to their new life. Would love to see some pictures of your chickens now, and throughout this process as they gain weight and fill out. Also, it would be great to see some pics/videos of them (re)learning to scratch and peck for food. I have watched some YouTube videos of people taking in battery hens from small wire commercial cages, and it takes some time and patience for their inner chicken to come out. I don't think they are broken. Best wishes.

 

[sneakytoes02]

Here is a pic of some of my girls the day they arrived. We still have snow on the ground, but it was plus 2. I don't think they had ever touched the ground before. The poor girls are so terrible looking with their bear bums, and scruffy feathers.

 

[Kizmet]

Good on you for giving them a new life! I hope they adapt quickly.

 

[sneakytoes02]

How old are your birds? Are they still considered to be in production age?

In any case, your birds are probably under a lot of stress and it might take some time for them to get used to their new life and start laying eggs again. I am hopeful that their chicken instincts will take over at some point, and they will instinctively start acting like "real" chickens - scratching the ground for food, going inside the coop at nightfall, etc....

You might have to put in some extra work training the birds to scratch for food by throwing them some treats in the chicken run. You might have to carry them to the coop and put them inside at nightfall until they get the idea on their own. You might have to place the chickens on the roost bar for the night until they do it themselves. You might have to put a few fake eggs in the nest boxes to encourage the chickens to lay their eggs there.

At any rate, I hope you keep this thread updated on your progress and how your chickens are adjusting to their new life. Would love to see some pictures of your chickens now, and throughout this process as they gain weight and fill out. Also, it would be great to see some pics/videos of them (re)learning to scratch and peck for food. I have watched some YouTube videos of people taking in battery hens from small wire commercial cages, and it takes some time and patience for their inner chicken to come out. I don't think they are broken. Best wishes.

They are 11 months old.

 

[SueT]

I think you'll see improvement as they get used to their new life and by the time spring arrives, I bet they'll be looking much better and laying well. Keep us updated!

 

[aart]

Were they kept inside a warm(er) building?
Are these 'rescue' birds from a production facility?
I wouldn't expect them to lay anytime soon.
Feed them well, and time will tell.

 

[gtaus]

Here is a pic of some of my girls the day they arrived. We still have snow on the ground, but it was plus 2. I don't think they had ever touched the ground before. The poor girls are so terrible looking with their bear bums, and scruffy feathers.View attachment 2038184

I brought them home and released them into the run/coop and the poor things just stood there looking confused.

I raised my birds from day old chicks. They have had the advantage of enjoying a chicken run since June of last year. When we got our first snow covering the ground, my girls basically just stood there looking confused - and then they all ran back into the coop! I guess what I am saying is that maybe your rescue chickens are not all that abnormal in being confused by setting foot on snow for the first time.

Speaking of chickens out in the snow, last week I had to go inside my coop to break free my pop door which was frozen in the down closed position. As I was going into the coop, one of my chickens literally flew the coop and landed belly down in a 3 foot snow bank. She was so surprised that she was "frozen" in place and would not move. I was concerned that I might have to chase her all over the yard, through knee high snow, until I was able to get her back into the coop. Fortunately for me, she had no desire to move at all and let me walk right up to her, pick her up, and carry her to the coop. Last summer I had a few escapees from the coop and it took me about 20 minutes to chase them down and get them back into the coop.

One thing I learned from my chickens this winter is that any chicken scratch thrown into the chicken run with snow on the ground is basically wasted feed, or compost material at best. My chickens will not scratch the snow and any feed in the snow is basically lost. I do have deep litter in my coop, so I just throw my chicken scratch inside the coop and the girls are happy scratching and pecking inside the coop for food. I have recently thrown a couple bags of fall leaves on the snow in the chicken run and my girls will walk on leaves, and scratch around a bit. But they have no desire at all to set foot on that white snow. I don't know if all chickens are that way, or just my hens. It is funny to see them walk right up to the snow line and stop dead in their tracks, and turn around. It's really like an invisible fence and they will not venture onto the snow.

OK, long story to get to the point that maybe if you cover the snow in your chicken run with something like leaves, straw, wood chips, etc... your rescue hens might feel more comfortable in the run. Depending on where you live, spring can still be a long way off.

 

[GC-Raptor]

OK, long story to get to the point that maybe if you cover the snow in your chicken run with something like leaves, straw, wood chips, etc... your rescue hens might feel more comfortable in the run.

Or shovel if you're physically fit.
I use my snowblower if we get close to a foot or more.
I only shovel half their pen in both Flocks, so I can toss Scratch on the ground.

GC

 

[aart]

Or shovel if you're physically fit.

Yup!
I'm not that fit, but can shovel out part of the run......makes snow melt time better too.