How Long to Recuperate from Winter Move?

[Backyard Dacks]

Hello, we just received 10 chickens from @Jmiller89 and they do not seem to have handled the move very well, in regard to egglaying, with a current grand total of 1 egg, so far, in 2 weeks. How long should it take them to get over the move? I know that chickens generally lay less in the winter, but just 1 egg?! So far, golf balls and supplemental lighting have not helped. Overall, however, they seem decently settled, already having each their own respective perches and whatnot. Does anybody have any ideas? If necessary, I can provide more information.

 

[CluckerFamily]

This is perfectly normal with the stress of the move and the stress of a new place. Give them time.
How old are the chickens? If they are older than 1, chances are they may not lay until spring due to the stress and the shortened days.

 

[Yardmom]

Many chickens don't lay when daylight is short even if they have not moved. Generally speaking a chicken lays regularly (daily for many ) when it is in its laying season, but when it takes a break such as for winter it does not lay at all until the next laying season.

 

[Backyard Dacks]

They are about a year and a half old. Is there a way to manipulate them to think it's already spring?

 

[Backyard Dacks]

How about a heat lamp?

 

[CluckerFamily]

Some people leave a white light on. I did this the first year I had chickens. I haven't done the white light in six years because I wanted the chickens to have a rest from laying.

 

[rosemarythyme]

NO on the heat lamp. If you want to supplement light, use a regular bulb, just bright enough to read by. It'll still take some time to work on them so you may not really get full results from it at this point, given that daylight hours are going to start increasing in length anyhow.

 

[Backyard Dacks]

NO on the heat lamp. If you want to supplement light, use a regular bulb, just bright enough to read by. It'll still take some time to work on them so you may not really get full results from it at this point, given that daylight hours are going to start increasing in length anyhow.

Why no heat lamp? Are you from the fiercely anti-heat-lamp camp? I'm not, and, thank G-d, have never really had any bad experiences with them, and am frankly quite uninterested in arguing the point. Eitherway, thank you for the idea- do you think you would be able to give some more specifics?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Why no heat lamp? Are you from the fiercely anti-heat-lamp camp? I'm not, and, thank G-d, have never really had any bad experiences with them, and am frankly quite uninterested in arguing the point. Eitherway, thank you for the idea- do you think you would be able to give some more specifics?

We get at least 1 post a year on here (and that's just the ones I happen to catch) of someone burning down their coop or barn because of a heat lamp. Bulbs have exploded and ignited bedding, birds have jumped up and literally fried themselves on the lamp... all because we as humans are not well equipped to deal with cold and assume the same of birds.

I do have a heat lamp in my garage, as I brooded my first batch of chicks that way. The "standard" 250W bulb ran so hot that I could smell it. I could not imagine having something that smells of fire in a wooden coop, above flammable bedding.

Yes there are some situations where a heat source is needed - areas with extreme cold (like -20F or more sustained), very sudden extreme temperature drops, or surprise chicks that need brooding. But in a majority of cases, a heat lamp is simply not needed.

Obviously your flock, your set up. But I'm always sad to see someone come on to report that their birds or their home was damaged or lost due to something avoidable.

 

[Backyard Dacks]

What I would like to do is manipulate them into thinking that it's already spring. Do you have another way of doing that? Also, there isn't too much flammable stuff where they are.