Pullets Not Laying

skullgrrrl

Crowing
11 Years
Sep 10, 2012
374
334
256
My Coop
My Coop
I have slowly been integrating some existing hens with some new pullets until, over a period of 4 months, I have phased out all but one of my original birds (18 mth old x) and have added 8 new pullets: a 12 mth old BR & 3 that were born last summer: a Buff Orpington, a Marans and a BLRW/Welsumer x. 5 weeks ago I integrated four 8 mth old Americaunas that had started laying in early Nov. Although they seem to get along fine their egg production is almost zero.

For the first week the existing flock and the Americaunas were kept side-by-side in separate pens with separate coops. They were laying (light blue eggs) regularly during that week. Then I integrated the two flocks and they haven't laid one egg in over 4 wks.

The 6 mth old Marans just started laying last week - 5 eggs in her first week. The don't think the 8 mth old Buff Orpington or the 7 mth old BLRW/Welsumer x have even started laying yet.

The winter has been very mild and the days are getting longer. I don't use lights, but in the past when I've had young pullets they have laid prolifically throughout the winter. They aren't laying outside the coop and I don't think any predators have taken any eggs. They aren't moulting.

They all appear to be getting along ok. I would have expected my first pullets to be laying by now and the Americaunas to have resumed.

Is there a finite amount a hen will lay? What I mean is, if a bird doesn't lay for awhile does she make that up later or have I just missed out a couple of months when I expected their production to have been good.

I have heard that if they get stressed their egg production is affected. I wondered if my coop space is two small. The pen is 900 sq ft (100 sq ft/bird) but the coop is just 16sq ft (though quite tall, with 12' roost space). I have had up to 9 hens in the past with no problems.

Any suggestions?
 
Chickens don't like change. You adding new birds to the flock has caused them to quit laying. They will start back up again when they adjust to the new flock mates.
 

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