please help me :(

[CHELLYB0E]

Okay so since I joined yesterday I’m still trying to get used to this website so I apologize in advance if someone already recently asked the same question.

My three older girls Goldie, Stripey, and Felicia just finished molting for their first time. (It made me so sad to see them like that they were bald and looked miserable )
That with in itself caused them to stop laying.

I added two more girls to the flock (at first it was such a disaster, but they figured it out and can’t go minutes without being without one another lol)
Hei Hei and Snowball are too young too molt but they are old enough to start laying but all 5 of my girls seem to be picking at the neck feathers. I got diatomaceous earth food grade and dusted the coop and the girls the feathers are starting to grow back and they don’t have any signs of them picking but NOBODY exept for Hei Hei are laying and it’s driving me nuts. I’m not so much concerned about getting eggs, I’m freaked out about them not laying and the egg breaking inside of them or something.

Is this normal? Any andvice? Please just tell me I’m being over dramatic and a total hypochondriac.

 

[Cryss]

Its winter. Chickens need 14 hours of daylight to lay. This is their normal time of the year to stop laying. They may lay the occasional winter egg but don't expect to see production until springtime.

 

[Cryss]

How many weeks old are your pullets? If they are losing neck fethers but are too young to molt maybe they are being picked on by older pullets. Did you introduce the new birds by separating them behind a fence so they can be seen but not touched?

 

[AP332]

In winter and with them molting I would not expect to see many eggs. It is perfectly normal. They go through stages where the least little thing will put them off laying for a short bit of time. Don't worry, they sound fine.

 

[ChickNanny13]

You may want to update your profile with your location, enables us to know what time zone & possible weather conditions you're dealing with. Glad you joined us ...

Agree with the rest of the replies, sounds like it's "the time of the year" of less eggs unless you add light to their coop (14hrs). I can imagine the "fun" off adding 2 newbies to your flock, an easier transition would be the See but no touch method used for integrating new members after a quarantine period. DE can be used as a preventative however Permethrin is what you need IF you have a mite/lice situation.

 

[sourland]

Shortened day length, molt, the addition of new birds all contribute to the cessation in egg production. They will restart egg laying as day length approaches 14 hours of light.