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My hens stopped laying for a month after I moved their coop 10 feet to the left
I thought I was doing them a favor. They were getting too much afternoon sun so I shifted the whole setup maybe 10 feet under a bigger tree. Next day, no eggs. Then a week. Then a month. I tried switching feed, adding calcium, everything. Finally a friend said maybe they just don't like the new spot. So I moved it back and boom, eggs the next morning. Has anyone else had chickens get weird about a small change like that?
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jessel354mo ago
Honestly, I bet it's not even about the shade or the sun. Chickens are big on landmarks and memory, they might have used a specific rock or bush as their "home base" to feel safe. Moving the coop 10 feet likely broke that mental map, and they couldn't settle enough to lay. It's like how some dogs won't eat in a strange room. The instant you moved it back, they recognized their old spot and relaxed.
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emma3493mo ago
Oh wow, I have to say you actually changed my mind on this one. I used to just think chickens were simple animals that only cared about food and shelter, not really paying attention to their surroundings like that. But now that you mention it, it makes total sense with the memory thing. I mean, my neighbor's cat stopped using her litter box for weeks after they moved it like three feet, so why would chickens be any different with their coop? It's kind of wild to think they have such a strong attachment to a specific patch of dirt or a particular rock. Idk, maybe it's just me but I feel like we underestimate how smart animals really are.
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