Are New Chickens Stressing My Birds?

[GlicksChicks]

Hello all,

I have a flock with 22 hens. All healthy and no one molting. All aging from 8-17 months. I have Sexlinks, Orpingtons, Marans, Wyandottes, and Buckeye mixes.

Around the beginning of January, some of my hens were beginning to lay again, I was getting Maran eggs for the first time in a while, as well as some double yolkers. I was getting around 10 a day for a bit after that.

I began to introduce 4 chickens, and now I am introducing more, my kennel is only big enough to hold so many at a time.

One of their roosters is also going to be sold because he is not getting along well anymore in the flock, but that is just recent.

I can't remember exactly when it was, but for a while now I have been getting 0-5 eggs from the flock. And with the days getting longer and hens starting to lay again, I feel it is not normal for them to lay less now than when it was winter.

My chickens do range in an acre that has fencing too high for them to get out. My husband and I have thoroughly checked the area at least 10 times with no signs of any nests anywhere.

Is it all the flock changes causing stress on the birds that is keeping them from laying? Or could it also be the temperatures fluctuating, with a week being in the 70s and then 20-40 another week?

Please help me!

 

[AGeese]

We don't have enough info on their standard of living to say. But I'm just starting to get more eggs now, and it has varied over the years as far when. I'm sure they regulate each other to a degree when it comes to laying as well, so any new birds probably do bring some stress into the existing flock that has to adjust to a new pecking order.

 

[aart]

Is it all the flock changes causing stress on the birds that is keeping them from laying?

No doubt.

My husband and I have thoroughly checked the area at least 10 times with no signs of any nests anywhere.

That's a lot of space to check for a hidden nest.
Better to confine them to be sure.
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop/run for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

 

[McChooky]

Hello all,

I have a flock with 22 hens. All healthy and no one molting. All aging from 8-17 months. I have Sexlinks, Orpingtons, Marans, Wyandottes, and Buckeye mixes.

Around the beginning of January, some of my hens were beginning to lay again, I was getting Maran eggs for the first time in a while, as well as some double yolkers. I was getting around 10 a day for a bit after that.

I began to introduce 4 chickens, and now I am introducing more, my kennel is only big enough to hold so many at a time.

One of their roosters is also going to be sold because he is not getting along well anymore in the flock, but that is just recent.

I can't remember exactly when it was, but for a while now I have been getting 0-5 eggs from the flock. And with the days getting longer and hens starting to lay again, I feel it is not normal for them to lay less now than when it was winter.

My chickens do range in an acre that has fencing too high for them to get out. My husband and I have thoroughly checked the area at least 10 times with no signs of any nests anywhere.

Is it all the flock changes causing stress on the birds that is keeping them from laying? Or could it also be the temperatures fluctuating, with a week being in the 70s and then 20-40 another week?

Please help me!

Some of mine quit laying and started molting after I gave a spare rooster and some young hens away last summer.

 

[GlicksChicks]

We don't have enough info on their standard of living to say. But I'm just starting to get more eggs now, and it has varied over the years as far when. I'm sure they regulate each other to a degree when it comes to laying as well, so any new birds probably do bring some stress into the existing flock that has to adjust to a new pecking order.

Range on an acre, with a large coop and run attached for night security. They eat Golden Oak 20% Layer Pellets. They get breakfast and supper each day, and get to range for any food in between. 2 seperate sleeping areas, one is a ladder perch with 3 bars and one is a "second floor" with perches attached to it that they all seem to prefer.

 

[GlicksChicks]

No doubt.


That's a lot of space to check for a hidden nest.
Better to confine them to be sure.
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop/run for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

They have the fake eggs. I was planning to lock them up and let them out maybe an hour or so before bedtime to range. Then lock them back up at night.

The coop has adequate space and ventilation. This was a coop to over 30 birds that didn't free range at one point. Since then we have lost some and sold some. The coop can accomodate for more than the birds I have.

 

[GlicksChicks]

Some of mine quit laying and started molting after I gave a spare rooster and some young hens away last summer.

I hope once all the introducing is done they will get back to it. How long were they not laying?