Newbie here worried and looking for info from the pros! :)

[Faso]

Hello!

I see this is a popular question and I have searched and read a decent amount but, every situation is a little different so I wanted to ask about mine.

I first picked up 2 RIR chickens about 1 month ago. They were 6-7 weeks old. According to my calendar they are now 11-12 weeks old. They are full feathered and doing fine.

Last Sunday(11/4) my wife agreed to allow the family 1 more, since we wanted a plymoth rock chicken because they are so pretty! So we drove to someone's house whom was selling them and purchased 1. They said she was laying and she was born in February so she is older then the RIRs BUT, not that much older.(she is 8 months)

Since Sunday, we have not had 1 egg. Should i be worried that something is wrong and take her to the vet or is it normal that she may be a little stressed in her new home with new(younger chickens)?

They don't fight at all and the 2 RIR chickens seem to stay together alittle more often but I can tell they know the rock hen is bigger than them and they leave each other alone. Thankfully the rock chicken is very timid and nice. She doesn't bother tham at all and I can see she is much smarter.(She goes to sleep on time and goes back in the coop on time)

What should i do?

As a side note, i bought oyster shell and mixed it in with my start and grow. Once this bag of start and grow is done(1-2 weeks), i'm moving them all to the layena so i don't need to add anything.(I may throw grit on the ground in the run.

I appreicate any info you can provide!

Thank you!
Mike

 

[Puddin Fluff]

I am not an expert but I would agree that the stress of the move would probably cause her to not lay. Also, I don't know where you are located but many chickens will slow down or stop laying altogether when the days grow shorter. You can put a light on a timer in the coop to give them a 17 hour day and that could help get her laying again. If she is behaving normally (roaming in the day, roosting at night, eating, drinking) I wouldn't worry about her not laying.

 

[Faso]

Thank you. I thought that they eventually had to lay because there was always an egg that formed sooner or later. I thought they just held it in longer if they were stressed...

I have my two RIRs sleeping in a laying box last night. Those two dopes pooped a lot on there and I don't know what to do to keep them out of there. I don't know why they slept in there. All I can think of was that is snowed for the first time last night and it was cold. I have hay in the laying boxes so maybe it was warmer in there. They huddled up in there while the smart rock was on the roost.

Mike

 

[Den in Penn]

Stress from the move is probably why she stopped, when she settles in she will start again. Don't mix the oyster shell with the start and grow the younger ones who aren't laying don't need it, and can even be harmed by the extra calcium. Aside dish of it will work as they will take just what they need. If the RIRs are starting to sleep in the nest box block it off for the night. They may be a little intimidated by the Plymouth Rock, and moved off the roost if they had been sleeping on that.