Should I be worried?

[Hholly]

When I picked up my first chickens (2 hens with their 8 chicks) 2 weeks ago, one of them had laid an egg in their cage they were being held in before I picked them up. Since bringing them home, neither hen has laid any eggs. Should I be worried? They seem to be eating and pooping fine. They are excellent mommas to their chicks. They are eating chick crumbles and ranging outside in their pen eating bugs. Mealworm treats. They have nest boxes available. What gives?
Thanks for any info!

 

[nchls school]

When I picked up my first chickens (2 hens with their 8 chicks) 2 weeks ago, one of them had laid an egg in their cage they were being held in before I picked them up. Since bringing them home, neither hen has laid any eggs. Should I be worried? They seem to be eating and pooping fine. They are excellent mommas to their chicks. They are eating chick crumbles and ranging outside in their pen eating bugs. Mealworm treats. They have nest boxes available. What gives?
Thanks for any info!

Hens with chicks to care for do not normally lay eggs. Since you found an egg in the cage I would guess that one hen is the mother and the other was laying. It is normal for hens to stop laying when they are put in a new environment. How old are the chicks? Most hens care for their chicks for several weeks. After that the hen will start laying eggs again. Good luck.

 

[Hholly]

Thanks for the reply.

The chicks are 4 weeks old.

 

[nchls school]

Thanks for the reply. The chicks are 4 weeks old. 

It will be a few weeks then before the mother goes back to laying.