New hens not laying...

[efxjay]

Hi all,

Any help here would be much appreciated - Very new to this - first birds ever owned.

Just bought to 14 mos. Red Star hens - very nice looking birds

Problem - they each laid an egg the first day we had them, but haven't laid an egg since (now on day 4)

They're not roosting at night and are sitting on the nest box most of the day. Both have plucked their feathers around the crop/neck area.

Is this just getting acclimated to the new digs or are they brooding/molting/stressed? We tried putting the eggs ender one, but she broke both and ate one. (previously were with 2 roosters)

I've got them on a laying mash(pellets) which they gorged on the 1st day, but are eating very sparse on the mash now.

Thoughts please....Thanks.

 

[chicks4kids]

Sometimes it can take weeks before they get accustomed to their new home. Give them some time, regardless if they laid an egg the first day. I bought 2 hens about 3 weeks ago and the one took a week to lay and the other took 2. Good luck! They're just making sure that you appreciate it

 

[feathersnuggles]

Anything (especially like a move) can temporarily stop the internal egg process. I agree, give them time. Make sure their food is high quality with good protein and they have constant access to fresh clean water. They will start again.

I've had my girls since they were chicks, but even here things can temporarily halt egg-laying. The latest was a hen with warty-shells who stopped laying for a couple weeks. When she started laying again, the shells were perfect.

 

[macdoogle]

I bought two pullets recently and though that I had the same problem. Got one egg the next day, another a day later and then nothing. Four days later I found four eggs under the hen house instead of in the nesting box. Now I find an egg or two every other day, but still under the hen house.

 

[chicks4kids]

Quote:
Sounds like those 2 need to be confined strictly to the hen house for a couple days to let them know just where those eggs are supposed to go-that would be an awful situation in the winter

 

[efxjay]

Thanks all for the advice - I'll just be patient and give them time.