No eggs :(

[camershek]

I got 4 hens (we killed one sick one and the other just died one day). We have 2 left. The first 4 days of having them I got 9 eggs and now with the 2 left I haven't gotten anything at all (it's been 9 days)
The lady I got them from said they were molting but I think they are done now. They aren't ugly anymore haha.
I know they can stop laying while molting and I know it can take a while to molt, how can I be certain they are done?
They free range during the day and stay in the same spot all day so I check there multiple times a day and i haven't had any in the coop. My only concern is my rooster is getting to "that point" and I don't want chicks to be hatched that I had no idea about and be snake treats. They have a good diet and happy home. The 5 hens and 1 roo I have are all glued to eachother, if one goes they all go.
These 2 are my only and first layers, so I'm new to it all!
Any help is appreciated!

 

[junebuggena]

First of all, if they are brand new to you, it may be over a month or more before they are settled in enough to start laying. The first few eggs they laid were already 'in the works' when you got them. Also, it takes about a month or so for them to recover from the demands of molting and they resume laying again. A feed that is higher in protein will help them get back into laying condition quicker, and will help offset the forage they eat will free ranging.
Fertile eggs are no different from infertile eggs, provided they aren't incubated. Fertile eggs do not spontaneously begin to develop.

 

[camershek]

First of all, if they are brand new to you, it may be over a month or more before they are settled in enough to start laying. The first few eggs they laid were already 'in the works' when you got them. Also, it takes about a month or so for them to recover from the demands of molting and they resume laying again. A feed that is higher in protein will help them get back into laying condition quicker, and will help offset the forage they eat will free ranging.
Fertile eggs are no different from infertile eggs, provided they aren't incubated. Fertile eggs do not spontaneously begin to develop.

Thank you. I just wanted to make sure she wasn't hiding fertile eggs from us and one day I just wake up and she's standing there with chicks. She has left for a few hours the past few days but has always come back so that was my first thought.

 

[aart]

It's when they don't come back to roost at night that you might start wondering if they are setting a nest.
I'd be more concerned with the sick and dying birds....and 'training' them to lay in the coop.
Do you have other birds or only the 2 left?

 

[kgb6days]

I had 8 chicks - 2 of them Leghorns. One of the Leghorns died 2 weeks ago. All the other chickens slowed down for a couple days with egg laying, but the remaining Leghorn laid her first egg today, 2 weeks after the other Leghorn died. I'm learning that chickens bond closely, especially to those of their same breed, and any shake up in the flock affects egg laying. Watch the remaining chicks for illness and have some patience. They should, if healthy, just start laying once they settle in.

Kristy

 

[camershek]

It's when they don't come back to roost at night that you might start wondering if they are setting a nest.
I'd be more concerned with the sick and dying birds....and 'training' them to lay in the coop.
Do you have other birds or only the 2 left?

They all come back every night. I bought the fake eggs and put them in their boxes but it hasn't done anything. We have 5 hens and a roo who free range during the day and are in the coop at night. And a meat bird and 2 silkies who are in the coop all day with supervised outside time. coop is by a field in the back yard and we have a predator back there that we can't seem to catch. Our hens and roo spend all day on our car trailer in the front yard.

 

[camershek]

I had 8 chicks - 2 of them Leghorns.  One of the Leghorns died 2 weeks ago.  All the other chickens slowed down for a couple days with egg laying, but the remaining Leghorn laid her first egg today, 2 weeks after the other Leghorn died.  I'm learning that chickens bond closely, especially to those of their same breed, and any shake up in the flock affects egg laying.  Watch the remaining chicks for illness and have some patience.  They should, if healthy, just start laying once they settle in.

Kristy

Thank you for your input! We had 4 (3 hens and a roo) and I bought 4 more hens who were about twice their age.. 1 just died out of the blue and the other we actually just shot the other day due to a HORRIFIC head injury she had when we got her. So maybe the death of the 2 they grew up with stressed them out??