I have only posted here a few times and am really starting to like this place. My question is this, Someone recently gave me about 15 RIR hens and a coop that they were living in. The very next day we gathered 8 eggs. That was 3 weeks ago and they have not laid a single egg since. I would love to know what is going wrong. They are well fed with 16% layer pellets and well watered. I do free range them and have checked every possible place they could be hiding them from me. My other chickens are doing just fine.
Whats up wih my hens
- Thread starter mirandok
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Sounds like your new chickens are just getting use to the new surroundings and will get down to business once they are comfortable ......
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- #3
Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.
X2 sounds like they are getting used to their surroundings. It may take as long as a month or more until they are settled. Make sure to provide them with a stress free environment and always give them a treat. Also move slowly around them and talk to them. This will get them firmialiar with you and help them to feel more comfortable.
Also you may want to put some fake eggs or golf balls in the nest so they see where to lay. Make sure they have extra calcium too.
They'll start laying soon!
X2 sounds like they are getting used to their surroundings. It may take as long as a month or more until they are settled. Make sure to provide them with a stress free environment and always give them a treat. Also move slowly around them and talk to them. This will get them firmialiar with you and help them to feel more comfortable.
Also you may want to put some fake eggs or golf balls in the nest so they see where to lay. Make sure they have extra calcium too.
They'll start laying soon!
Chickens hate change and moving is a major change to them. The eggs you got were probably moving down the tubes before you got them. That is why you got eggs soon. Now that they are stressed by all the changes - they pushed the stop button while they regroup.
Is it especially hot right now, that could delay them . I know it's hard to be patient when you figure you got a ready made flock of layers & coop, but, there is always a downside. That is delayed egg laying.
If you can overlook that, and just spend some time sitting in a chair near them, talking to them and teaching them you are a good, safe person by bringing treats around, they will get more comfortable.
Is it especially hot right now, that could delay them . I know it's hard to be patient when you figure you got a ready made flock of layers & coop, but, there is always a downside. That is delayed egg laying.
If you can overlook that, and just spend some time sitting in a chair near them, talking to them and teaching them you are a good, safe person by bringing treats around, they will get more comfortable.
Everything should be back to normal soon but if you are not getting egg's in 3 to 4 weeks something else is wrong and did you change the diet or are you feeding them the same thing the other owner was feeding them this could make a big difference ......
Do you have any dog's or cats in your yard this could also take a bit of getting use to .......
And how old are your new additions ?????
Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. You've received some good advice from the other members and I would expect their laying to resume shortly. If you are not getting eggs again within the next few weeks, I would post this on our Chicken Behaviors and Egg Laying section at https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/18/chicken-behaviors-and-egglaying. Please feel free to ask any other questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck in getting those hens laying again.
Hello there and welcome to BYC!
I agree with all the above posters. Chickens do not like to be moved and this stress can put the clamps on the egg laying for a while. So just give them time to adjust, keep the stress down in and around the coop, keep all barking dogs, lawnmowers, small kids and anything else that stresses them away for a while. And hopefully they start to lay soon.
It helps to put some fake eggs in the nest boxes too. This lets the hens know it is safe to lay here. Hens like to lay where others have laid their eggs. So by putting these in there now, may calm them down enough to begin laying again. I leave fake eggs in all my boxes all the time to keep them calmer.
Good luck with your new flock and welcome to ours!
I agree with all the above posters. Chickens do not like to be moved and this stress can put the clamps on the egg laying for a while. So just give them time to adjust, keep the stress down in and around the coop, keep all barking dogs, lawnmowers, small kids and anything else that stresses them away for a while. And hopefully they start to lay soon.
It helps to put some fake eggs in the nest boxes too. This lets the hens know it is safe to lay here. Hens like to lay where others have laid their eggs. So by putting these in there now, may calm them down enough to begin laying again. I leave fake eggs in all my boxes all the time to keep them calmer.
Good luck with your new flock and welcome to ours!
- Jul 24, 2013
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You've been given excellent advice above. Good luck with your flock!
Feel free to ask any other questions you have. We're all here to help.
- Jul 24, 2013
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Welcome to BYC!
We're glad to have you.
You've received some good advice already.
You've received some good advice already.
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