Stopped laying ?????

[Jean Law]

Hi Guys,
I am new to the website ...

I’ve put a cockerel in with my 3 girls - roughly 2 months ago and since then I’ve only been getting one egg a day if I’m lucky ! Have I upset the girls ???

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Welcome. A bit more information is needed like age of your birds. Egg production does go up and down throughout the season with stops and halts along the way. A rooster can add stability or cause stress depending on his behaviors. Generally hens stop laying within a week of a stressor.

 

[Jean Law]

Unfortunately I don’t know the ages of 2 girls , we inhertited them roughly 7 months ago , we had daily eggs from each, they have been through the moult process late summer . I brought 2 more girls pol unfortunately one died so now only have 3 girls.
I brought a cockerel and now it seems I’ve totally upset the girls ... I’m lucky if I get one egg a day !
All fit healthy and feeding drinking well - wormed monthly and fed on layers pellets with daily grass and some treat pellets this months choice is rosemary and mint oh and not forgetting the digging I do daily in their run for worms , how I haven’t murdered a chicken today’s amazes me as I only have to show them the fork !!!they are all in a run with access to coop due to foxes about...
I’m unsure if I should remove the cockerel ??

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If he's constantly mating them or harassing them than I would remove him. Most hens take most of the fall to molt for the yearly molt so it could be they haven't gotten into it yet.