[wayne*goodman]

this is only my 2nd post so i am new to keeping chickens.
firstly, i have 2 young girls in one pen and one has started to lay, but in the run and not in the house where they have nesting boxes is this  normal for a young chicken?

secondly, i purchased a good house and run of an elderly gentlmen 3 weeks ago, as he was in poor health and could no longer look after them. all 3 girls were laying fine up untill friday last week, and now only 1 seems be laying? there has been no changes in there enviroment but i did put some corn mix i got from the farm shop in the run as i was told by them it was fine, to which i have since stopped as told not to as they will not eat the layer pellets,. i am unsure of the age of the 3 girls so perhaps they have stopped laying due to there age? all birds seem in good health and are as active as the day i had them.the only other thing is we have had a lot of stormy weather, thunder lightening etc would this have an efect?
if anybody has any ideas i would be extremly grateful as i hope its not down to somthing i have done incorrectly.

[Chrysalis]

Hi.  It's probably a case of your new girls settling in.  :happy:They'll lay when they want to (and where!).  Ours have eschewed the henhouse and nest boxes in favour of underneath the coop, which means getting dirty knees to fetch them out.

Welcome the the site.  I expect others will have better advice, but mine is: don't worry, they'll sort themselves.  Some greens and dandelions helps mine to lay...

[Casey76]

Hi wayne, and welcome to the mad hen house

It is quite normal for young pullets to lay in the run, often the first egg (or few eggs) may take them by surprise!  You can help them out by putting a pot or plastic egg (or golf ball) in the nesting box to show them where to lay.  But normally hens will nest in the boxes naturally once they get the hang of things.

Secondly, it is probably the move which, in combination with other factos such as the weather, has put them off lay.  It may take them a few weeks to properly settle down again

You can give them a handful of corn (between 3 or 4) in the early evening, once they have had the opportunity to fill up on layers

[evie2]

Hello Wayne, I had a similar problem with a hen, so I put 2 golf balls (I didn't have any pot eggs) in the nest box, it worked

They chucked the golf balls out eventually 

[wayne*goodman]

Hello Wayne, I had a similar problem with a hen, so I put 2 golf balls (I didn't have any pot eggs) in the nest box, it worked

They chucked the golf balls out eventually 

thankyou i will give it try
wayne

[wayne*goodman]

Hello Wayne, I had a similar problem with a hen, so I put 2 golf balls (I didn't have any pot eggs) in the nest box, it worked

They chucked the golf balls out eventually 

many thanks for the advice.both girls ars now laying in the nest boxes,after just a few days of putting the golf balls in.

[evie2]

Good news Wayne