When will hen start laying again after mothering?

[MomsterT]

I have a silkie hen who went broody in the fall. She hatched 7 of the 9 on November 7th-9th and raised them fantastically. I let dad into the coop approx 2 weeks old to introduce him and see how he did. The stepped in and helped raise and protect them (super surprised at that). My worry is that it’s 15 weeks and she still hasn’t started laying again.

I brought the young chicks inside during the cold rain snap we had last week because they were not doing well with all the rain. When I put them back in the coop with mom and dad a few days later, she was feather pulling and pecking. So I moved her and dad (who started to peck as well) into their own coop and let the young ones have their own space. It’s been a few days, and still no eggs.

 

[JaeG]

She will go through a molt before starting to lay again. I think my last broody took around 10 weeks to start laying again from the time her duckling hatched.