I agree about the stress. They need some time to get adjusted, and rehydrated. Chickens need lots of water and calcium. Their waddles, ear lobes, legs, and comb fade when they do not have enough, so they look pretty good right now, but I think that stress is most likely the cause. Chickens learn from the example, so you can put an egg, or even a fake egg in their nesting box to help teach them. I would also keep an eye out for signs of broken eggs. If they have been eating their eggs, they have developed a very bad habit that is almost impossible to break them of. I would just give it some time, and make sure that they are also getting enough sunlight each day, or they will molt, and you will have to wait even longer. Fresh water, sunlight, a good layer feed with calcium, and time to adjust should take care of the issue. I hope they work out well. We have had hens for years on our farm, and we have also had to recently replace our flock, thanks to a hungry fox. You could invest in electric poultry netting, but it usually runs about $180+, so it is not cheap. We just took chicken wire, and lined the bottom of their run, covered it with sand, lined the sides, and the top, so it is completely enclosed, with no room for anything to get it, or out. We had to do this, after we had two hens pulled under the wire. I hope they work out for you!
