When will my new hens start to lay again?

[LuvMyChicks1491]

A 9 days ago I added 4 new girls to my flock. The 2 older ones (Black Copper Maran & Blue Maran) I was told were a little over a year old and were laying. The 2 younger ones (Speckled Sussex & Blue Maran) were about 13 weeks. The new older gals haven't started laying yet and I'm getting just a little nervous. I have 6 red Sex links and a Bantam Cochin that are 15.5 weeks that I started from chicks and 2 of them have started laying already. I know that stress can cause them to stop and it has been super hot here as well, so I'm hoping that with this week being cooler that they might start. I have done all that I can do to reduce the stress. I haven't let my little kids in to the coop, and have put up some burlap on the side of their enclosure that is next to the dogs. Our dogs don't really bothering them anyway. It also seems that they have figured out their new pecking order which was a surprise who came out on top. A close family friend also got 6 chickens from the same group to ad to his flock (of 26) and they have started laying already. He said that the farm is a good honest farm. I am pretty new at keeping chickens so I'm not sure if there is something that I am missing or that I might not be dong right. When should I really start to worry that they haven't started laying again?

 

[aggiemae]

Stress can slow or stop egg laying. When we added our eight 2013 chicks to the existing flock of five the egg laying came to a halt and it took almost a month for things to get back to normal.

We actually have two Maran hens (a blue and a Cuckoo) and they are easily stressed compared to the other hens. During times of high stress I add some extra protein to their diet (butter milk scrambled eggs or tuna are good) and give them a squirt of liquid vitamins made for human babies daily.

Also, if you free range, are you sure they are not laying outside of the nest box? My Cuckoo has a spot she prefers to the nest box during the summer.

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

I have a large enclosure around the coop that I have been checking. I didn't plan on free range till next spring after all the girls have a well established pattern. I will try the added protien. I figured that it might be a while before they start again, now I know that it might be a little longer then I first thought. Thanks for the help.

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

Both the older girls laid eggs yesterday! I opened the coop in the morning to catch Mary (Blue Maran) just getting up after laying her egg and later that morning when I went out to check on them, Rosita (Black Copper Maran) was in the nest and a little bit later there was an egg. So excited and relieved.