When do chickens lay?

[sarahr0612]

Basically they will lay when they lay.. all are different. Some of mine lay everyday and some don't. some lay in the morning and some afternoon.. all up to them.

 

[TERRY4]

Well, yesterday we starting getting 2 eggs a day {from 6 hens}, and today it all of a sudden went to 3 eggs. So it's pucking up quickly now. They have been laying eggs for about 2 weeks. Here's a pic of the company that loves to visit them often. Lol.. He's NOT allowed in with them.

 

[Annasg]

I had to separate one of my hens from the rest of the flock. She was laying good for a while, then she laid a couple of soft shell eggs. I gave her oyster shell but now she has quit laying altogether. I know that chickens are flock animals. Could she be missing the rest of the flock and not laying because of it? Please, someone help me out here. Thank you. Anna

 

[chickenlily13]

Why separate the hen? Don't think it matters but it may be stressed for some reason.

 

[TERRY4]

I had to separate one of my hens from the rest of the flock. She was laying good for a while, then she laid a couple of soft shell eggs. I gave her oyster shell but now she has quit laying altogether. I know that chickens are flock animals. Could she be missing the rest of the flock and not laying because of it? Please, someone help me out here. Thank you. Anna

please don't separate the hen from the others. that would definitely stress her out. put her back in keep an eye on her and let nature take its course.

 

[Annasg]

Terry4, I had to separate her. The rooster had rode her so much that she had large open wounds under her wings. She got sick and the other hens were picking at her open wounds. She could not heal up even tho I was doctoring her everyday. Since I have separated her, she is healing up and her feathers are growing back. When she has fully recouperated, I will put her back among the other hens and move the rooster. I know she is stressed in a coop by herself, however, she is healing. If I had not moved her, I dont think she would have lasted another week. I did put one of the other hens with her and that hen picked her wounds open again and I had to start all over trying to heal her up. This has been going on for a while, but now she appears to be very healthy with the exception of the healing and growing feathers under her wings.

 

[MargaretYakoda]

Would a chicken saddle help her stay unharmed when you put her back in with the rest of the flock?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/patterns-chicken-saddles

 

[Joan71]

Terry4, I had to separate her. The rooster had rode her so much that she had large open wounds under her wings. She got sick and the other hens were picking at her open wounds. She could not heal up even tho I was doctoring her everyday. Since I have separated her, she is healing up and her feathers are growing back. When she has fully recouperated, I will put her back among the other hens and move the rooster. I know she is stressed in a coop by herself, however, she is healing. If I had not moved her, I dont think she would have lasted another week. I did put one of the other hens with her and that hen picked her wounds open again and I had to start all over trying to heal her up. This has been going on for a while, but now she appears to be very healthy with the exception of the healing and growing feathers under her wings.

There is an article here on BYC that talks about the rooster/hen situations. A rooster can pick one hen for his main chick and ride her only. Sounds like you need to put the rooster by himself. Or get rid of him. They also talk about how hens will pick at open wounds. You are correct to keep her by herself until she is completed healed. If she is lonely, you might could put her in a separate pen/cage near the others so she can see them and talk with them. I read everything I could from the educational part of BYC. I learned so much about hens, flocks, and my part in their well being. I had a smaller hen than the other 3 in my flock. My human instinct was to protect her. But it was explained here about their pecking order and how important it is to let the flock work out their problems until one is getting injured or blood is being drawn. Please let us know how your girl does. The rooster could be her stressor and if that proves true, he would have to be kept from her. If you are not aware of her place in the pecking order of your flock, putting another hen in with her could cause additional stress, if the other hen is higher up in the order with her, or if lower and trying to move up. The pecking order can change in your flock. I would not put her back with the flock until she is completely well, strong and able to defend herself from the other hens. The rooster is another matter and you will have to decide about him. Good luck.

 

[Annasg]

Joan71. Thank you for the reply. When she is healed, I intend to put her back with the flock and to move the rooster to his own quarters. My wish is to put them together and not have any trouble out of them, however, that pecking order is another thing. They all seemed to get along well before. My rooster is another story. He DID pick this particular hen and was not interested in any of the others. He flogged me one day after I had moved her into a pen where he couldn't see her. He could hear her but could not see her. He flogged me and got out of the pen when I went to feed them. He walked around til he found his hen, visited for a little bit and then he went back into the pen. I guess he just had to make sure she was ok. I will take that advice and start putting her outside the bigger coop so they can visit. This is very helpful advice. I will try and keep this updated so you know how things progress here.

 

[The Mother Hen]

My hens stop usually by noon, but I have had some go until the late afternoon just because it's been hot and then cooled off. For the future, in immense heat or cold some hens will stop laying. If you end up getting a broody hen (when a hen wants to sit on eggs), she goes into some type of trance and will stop producing. If you take her from a nesting box and place her on the ground, she will be in a squatting position for a few seconds (until a hen pecks at her). She will hardly leave her nest to eat, drink, or even to go poop. Do not fret, there are ways to break a hen, just search it online.