Stress and Cessation of Laying

[ninjapoodles]

I bought a beautiful, beautiful blue Ameraucana year-old hen from eggchel. She was laying well before she got here, but ever since arriving here, two weeks ago, she has not laid a single egg. I understand that the trip here must've been stressful, and being quarantined is probably upsetting, as well...plus she appears to be molting (as does almost everyone else right now).

How long can a stressed hen stop laying? She has a very nice setup, in a Chick-N-Hutch, and the weather has been lovely since she came here, but she is all alone. I spend time with her, and she's really "talky" and social, so she could just be very lonely. Should I expect her to not lay any eggs until she's settled in with the rest of the flock?

Belinda

 

[Hen Daddy]

Yes. She should settle in eventually and she should start producing soon thereafter.
We have a black sex link (see my avater). She laid the first 4 days we had her and we have had nothing since. Its been a little over a month. She has really red comb and wattles and is in & out of the nest boxes AND semi squatting. We are hoping she goes back into production soon.

 

[MissPrissy]

The stress of shipping and the stress of being in a new place really throws them off kilter. Molting stops egg production too. I hate to say it but she could go for a month or two or more and not lay an egg. Chickens start to take a break this time of year. Their bodies begin to rest up and rejuvinate for big egg production push that leads to spring chicks. Chickens lay 240 - 265 eggs a year on average. So there is alot of down time at the egg factory for them. Give her time and TLC and you will have eggs.

 

[ninjapoodles]

OK, that's actually good to hear. Somehow I had it in my head that they could get "backed up" or something, that she needed to lay eggs but couldn't. So as long as she's not in any danger, I won't worry. She has started to hang out in her nesting box, so maybe that means she's relaxing a little. She is REALLY a pretty hen, and I just love her.