Only 2 of 3 new hens laying - Is the 3rd one Broken?

[lindabean]

I bought 3 hens about 6 months old about 8 days ago. The next day I got a white egg from the Miorica (Sp?). The next day and almost every day since, I have gotten a light blue egg from the Americana. But so far, nothing but squawking from the biggest and oldest hen, the Cochin (should be a brown egg, right?) At the same time I bought these older girls, I also got 2 3-month olds, not yet old enough to lay yet. They are all in a small pen together. The big Cochin seems to be the Boss Hen, pecking on all the others and getting first picks on the food & water. I have no roosters, so is the Cochin taking over his job? Should I expect that she will never lay eggs because she, in effect, has become the "hen-rooster"?
Thanks for help with Chicken Psychology!

 

[gritsar]

If you've only had them for 8 days, she may either a. not feel settled in enough yet to lay or b. is too young to lay.
They are all individuals and as such will do things in their own time. She may be at the top of the pecking order, but that doesn't necessarily mean she's going to stop/not lay.
Just give her some more time.
There was a period of four months between the time my first pullet started laying and the time the last one started. All the same age, all the same breed.

 

[Judy]

According to Henderson's breed chart, Cochins are slow to mature and lay an average of 2 eggs a week.

 

[lindabean]

Wouldn't you know - right after I posted that, we found a brown egg in the pen! So I guess she's not broken after all. Hubby thinks maybe the dogs have been eating the eggs as they can push the sides of the chicken pen in some. The official chicken run will be finished in a few days, and I have hopes of moving "the girls to their new place this weekend. They will be well away from the harassment of the dogs, but outside the protection of the yard fence, but only by a few feet. Hopefully we will hear any problems that arise.
Thanks

 

[Wynette]

Just a sidebar note: your 3-month olds should not be eating the same feed as your layers. The layers should be on layer feed (with free-choice oyster shell) and the 3-month old ones should be on starter or flock raiser type feed. The extra calcium in layer feed is extremely dangerous for 3-month olds; causes organ damage.

 

[lindabean]

Thanks for that heads up about the feed for the Juvies. I'll probably be moving them into the new, bigger pen this evening and will separate them and put them back on baby chick food. I was feeding them all the same as the breeder told me that's what she did. She had them all generally out in the same large area with ducks, turkeys and a few quail, but they went into separate cages & houses at night. She has quite a set up. Anyway, how old do they need to be to start on adult food?

PS believe it or not, I think the Cochin has given 2 more brown eggs in the last 3 days! It must be her as my other brown egg layers are still young, & I read that when the do start laying, the eggs will be small, and these brown eggs are medium to large!
This weekend is going to be fun as I am having 2 nephews from the Dallas area spending a few nights with us. I don't think either of them have been up close & personal with a chicken, and I think the youngest one will get a kick out of looking for the eggs and playing with the little peepers in the wash room.

 

[lindabean]

They were sucessfully moved to their new "digs" last night!

But, alas, they are back on strike - AGAIN

I spent some quality time with them in the new pen this morning, just visiting and getting to know them. The new pen has enough room for me to sit in a chair with them and visit. The Cochin is running around the perimeter, perhaps looking for a way out.

She knows I get in somehow, and perhaps is looking for the way back to the little pen in the front yard. The other 4 are happily scratching around on the ground, finding new perches, food, and hopefully soon, the hen house. I may have to capture them tonight and put them in the hen house so they understand it is like the igloo they Had been living in.
I just LOVE hanging with my PeePs!

 

[gritsar]

Chickens dislike change of any kind, so I'm sure that's why they have gone on strike again. Give them a few days to settle in and they'll start laying again.

 

[lindabean]

Thanks for the encouragement. With the nephews coming this weekend, I hope they will be laying again by then, as I am making Egg Gathering one of our activities, in addition to the fosil hunting, hiking, and can plinking with the old BB gun! Neither of the boys have had any Chicken Time before, so I know "I" will be having fun watching them!

 

[RendonRoo]

I had to actually put the chickens in the poop door the first few nights. At dark i would go out and they would be huddled in a corner acting scared to death. After a couple of night they just figured it out and now they are inside about 30 minutes before dark.