With new chicks, when do hens start laying again

[marenategoodman]

I have 2 buff orphingtons. 1 went broody and hatched three chicks. As soon as the one hen went broody, the other stopped laying. They each layed one a day for about a year. Right around the same time as the hen went broody we got two new chicks from the farm store. They have a couple more months before they start laying. So now I have seven, and none laying. How can I get my buff's to start laying again? They also hoard the chick start from the younger hens. They don't really eat the pellets, they eat the chick start. Help!

 

[gritsar]

Each of my hens have started laying again about a week after they kick their chicks loose. When they kick them loose depends on the individual hen. My SF named Doe always kicks hers loose at around 4 weeks old. Jethro, a silkie, is still caring for her 3 chicks that are 7 weeks old today as if they were newly hatched.

The simplest solution I've found for feeding different age groups is to feed everyone one food, a flockraiser, and just offer laying hens oyster shell on the side for their laying needs.