The new hens won't lay

[HenSquakers]

We got our first 3 hens (8 months old) in the spring & they have been fantastic layers. We get 3 eggs almost every day. About 3 weeks ago, we got 3 more hens. The were 8 months old when we got them as well. The 3 new hens had been laying according to the previous owner, but they've never laid for us. For the first week or 2, the older hens pecked at the new hens mercilessly. Now, they are much more mellow, but still keep their distance from each other. I realize that I didn't introduce them properly to each other, but what can I do now? How can we get them to produce eggs?

 

[junebuggena]

We got our first 3 hens (8 months old) in the spring & they have been fantastic layers. We get 3 eggs almost every day. About 3 weeks ago, we got 3 more hens. The were 8 months old when we got them as well. The 3 new hens had been laying according to the previous owner, but they've never laid for us. For the first week or 2, the older hens pecked at the new hens mercilessly. Now, they are much more mellow, but still keep their distance from each other. I realize that I didn't introduce them properly to each other, but what can I do now? How can we get them to produce eggs?

It can take a month or two for them to start laying after being introduced to a new home. It's also molting season and a time when production starts to decline due to the shortening days.

 

[chickens really]

First off your Birds are too young to be moulting...They will moult next fall at around 18 months old...
You introduced new birds so the stress has delayed egg production...Once pecking order is established in the flock they will start laying again...Shortened day light hours effects laying also...Might get a few eggs in a few weeks but laying will resume around February depending on the amount of day light hours....

Cheers!

 

[blairctchickens]

oh and by the way

 

[junebuggena]

First off your Birds are too young to be moulting...They will moult next fall at around 18 months old...
You introduced new birds so the stress has delayed egg production...Once pecking order is established in the flock they will start laying again...Shortened day light hours effects laying also...Might get a few eggs in a few weeks but laying will resume around February depending on the amount of day light hours....

Cheers!

If you read the post carefully, the first set of birds were 8 months old in the spring. That means that they are old enough for molting. Last year I had a bunch of 8 and 9 month olds do soft, partial molts.

 

[chickens really]

Quote: You mean a juvenile moult....Yes, they all do....Not a full blown moult that interferes in egg production...

 

[junebuggena]

You mean a juvenile moult....Yes, they all do....Not a full blown moult that interferes in egg production...

No. I mean that at 8 to 9 months old, after they had been laying for a few months, they molted their neck, wing, and tail feathers. It was a weird year. It wasn't juvenile molting. A few did a full blown molt at 10 months.

 

[chickens really]

Quote: All I know then, is it could be nutritional with your bird that rushed them into moult at a young age.....?
Your location is far off from here....Thread starter never left a location....All I know is BYC is a forum for people to leave questions and get the answers they are looking for....Some people know what they are talking about and some do not...It really is up to the Thread starter to decide who they feel has the most knowledge and use that information...We can not ram our info down their throats...Not fair to contradict others replies either...

Cheers!

 

[junebuggena]

All I know then, is it could be nutritional with your bird that rushed them into moult at a young age.....?
Your location is far off from here....Thread starter never left a location....All I know is BYC is a forum for people to leave questions and get the answers they are looking for....Some people know what they are talking about and some do not...It really is up to the Thread starter to decide who they feel has the most knowledge and use that information...We can not ram our info down their throats...Not fair to contradict others replies either...

Cheers!

I was just pointing out that molt is not entirely out of the question. And no, my flock had not undergone any changes. Feed is always available. It was just a weird year for molting.

 

[donrae]

Can you post pics of your new hens?

In my experience it takes about 2 weeks for a moved bird to start laying again, but sometimes weird things happen. What are you feeding? How much space do you have?