NO ONE is laying!!

[DayKay]

Insight needed:

I had a little flock of 8 hens, mixed breeds; 4 older, established layers, 4 who had just started laying sporadically, 7 months old.

I was then given 6 little 5-month old hens, and naively introduced them all the flock at once. Everyone but the dominant hen totally stopped laying!! It's been about a month now - one of the newly laying hens has started laying again, and the dominant hen has gone broody and isn't laying.

So I've got 14 hens, and I'm getting 1 tiny egg a day. I was getting about 6 a day, providing enough for us and the kiddos who have their own households now. Now we're all reduced to (gasp!) buying pathetic store eggs!!

Why would the other layers not have started re-laying after adjusting to the new hens in the flock? Shouldn't they have adjusted by now, or is it still too soon to expect them to have recovered from the shock of the new hens?? What other factors might be in play of which I'm not aware?

 

[7L Farm]

Are they all getting along? Do they free range? Maybe the newbies are eating the eggs.

 

[kimntep]

I've been told numerous times that any sort of stress will sometimes cause them to stop laying for a bit until they are comfortable again. A stressor could be anything from changing their diet to moving the coop to adding or taking away other chickens. Hang in there! Have you changed anything else at all??

 

[poseygrace]

I added some hens to my flock nearly 4 weeks ago and they haven't laid an egg since. They were all laying fine before, so I think it just takes awhile. I did notice one was molting, I think that may be contributing too. Good luck!

 

[ck-newbe]

Did you move a piece of straw? Chickens are so picky. I agree with the previous post, just give them some more time to sort things out.

 

[Judy]

Quote:

That's about the truth.

 

[teamsunbelt]

I am new to the site. And have the same issue.

My flock was pieced together as well. 3 mixed hens about 5 months, 2 mixed hens about 4 months and 4 laying hens. It took 3 days for my first egg and 4 days to get 3 eggs. I was expecting a couple day settle in period, but they are remaining a little slow. The 2 youngest hens will not even come out of the coop for fear of herrasement. Hopefully they will grow out of it.