Have i got a non-egg laying hen?

[Strawberry delight]

I am rather new to keeping hens and about a month ago we got 4 ex-commercial hens about a week after we got them we had 4 eggs (only once) but ever since we have only had 3. Is this hen unhappy? or is there anything i can do to get it back on lay?
thanks!

[Shortie]

Hiya

I'm really new to chooks, but also took some 'rescue' hens on so read up a bit on what to expect. I may be way of the track here but my intial instinct is that, presuming all is okay with all your girls (ie they're eating and drinking well, and moving around fine / look healthy, then I'd put it down to a number of options:

If it's always the same girl not laying, it might be stress of the move, coupled with the naff weather? Both of those can stop egg laying

If it's alternate girls not laying it might be their egg producing cycle (heck knows if there's a proper word for that) or that we're still not in the best of sunlight (granted it's been quite sunny in London the last few weeks)

I have 8 chooks, the first two days I got 1 from each. I've 'slowed' to 5 good eggs and 2 really thin shelled that are being laid on the blinkin perch and so breaking. But, I was expecting to go from up to 8 eggs the first day to nowt for a good while as they readjusted... The fact I have a couple of soft shelled eggs each day I'm hoping will stop with the crushed egg shells/oyster shell they're getting, but as they seem otherwise happy and healthy I'm letting them just be normal happy chooks until something worries me about their health

[francesbean]

I;ve had a few ex bats over the years and they have all differed in their health and egg laying ability.
Depending on the commercial method used they could just be a little tired and emotional - although I would expect them to have settled after a month or two. Usually the hens are culled at around 18 months of very intensive egg laying, and sometimes coinciding with a moult. I'd give them a dose of wormer and lots of food including high protein stuff like a handful of mealworms between them a day.

By the way one of my neighbours has had some banties for a couple of years that hardly ever lay - I took them under my wing so to speak and they perked up and are now laying (after 2 weeks) on just a dose of wormer and a slight change in diet (they were mostly fed scraps and very few layers pellets).

francesbean

[Hilary B]

There is nothing odd in ex-commercial hens only laying 3 days out of 4. If you always end up with 3 eggs every day, that is quite a co-incidence, but my guess would be they are taking turns to have a non-laying day.

[petal]

Hybrids are designed to lay the majority of their eggs at the start of their life, so don't worry, they are probably perfectly happy and healthy but may(not always!) lay less and less eggs as they get older.

[polo]

All good advice above - it could be any number of things. Carry on with worming properly and feeding good quality layers (the ex batt stuff is best for newly out hens) and see what happens.

With my ex batts they laid pretty well for about 2 weeks then they really dropped of for about 2 months while they feathered up and got fitter and stronger. They needed all the extra nutrients to sort their bodies out first!

Now they are laying well so give them some time to readjust. And enjoy - they are not like normal hens I think!!

Polo

[Strawberry delight]

Thanks everyone! i will probably worm them and see!

[Chilli King]

Don't think you have anything to worry about. My 5 hens are all three years plus now and I only get 3 eggs in one day about twice a week and then only one or two eggs each day the rest of the week. It's my understanding that after 4 years egg laying dries up altogether but we are not there yet. Their fed on layers pellets mixed in with "mixed" corn and get out to play in the garden late afternoon (saves on lawn mowing !!!) Have fun with your chickens.

[Strawberry delight]

Thanks CK! i think i know which one it is now! its no surprise as even though it was a free range hen it is scared of worms. its a nice looking hen though! nice thought on lawn mowing CK, might save you on a lawn too after a while!