New hens = no eggs

[Lorettachick]

Yesterday was the fourth day of no eggs after adding the newbies last and only one or two before that. The newbies won't roost with the old ones. They are roosting in the nesting boxes. I hope they all get more settled in soon.

 

[SweetHens]

I've been having the same problem. Last week, we added two new hens to our little flock. Some friends of ours live on a farm and offered us some more chickens, but unfortunately, we don't what breed the new girls are. Since Wednesday, we've only received two eggs from one of the new girls (not sure which), and three or four other eggs from our regularly dependable girls (which is way off our usual numbers). Is this normal? My family has threatened to exchange them for better layers, but I think that would just stress the flock out even more.
Any ideas? Thanks

 

[cmoore333]

Alll mine have gone on strike since the new ones have arrived (Except one, and she's my most reliable layer) I hope the strike is over soon, I have several people who have called for eggs I do hope they don't go on strike again when my chicks can go outside...

 

[cmoore333]

Ok, I have two laying now, so im at least getting one egg a day, some times two today I found a third egg, I know Roxann had laid one egg on Saturday, so I'm thrilled to have possible three chickens laying

 

[Lorettachick]

Great! Mine are laying a little better but still only getting 1 or 2 eggs a day out of 10 hens.

 

[PSJ]

I didn't read ALL of the posts, so if someone has already said this, sorry.

When I added my new girls to my original flock, it upset the laying. I didn't get an egg for almost 2 weeks. When you add new hens, you disrupt the original pecking order, which then has to be re-established. Adding new hens also causes stress. Add some apple cider vinegar to their water. This helps with the stress. A few days after doing this, all of my girls were laying again. Hope that helps!