hen stopped laying

[inchworm]

I have 6 hens. My 1 Easter Egger has completely stopped laying. She was my best layer all through the summer and fall. She hasn't laid in at least 2 weeks now. She is about 10 months old and isn't molting. She is happy and healthy, eats, walks and flies normally. There has been no stress and the other 5 hens are still laying.

Should I be concerned? Or is she taking a much-needed break?

Thanks,
Inchy

 

[Zenbirder]

My first guess is that she has a stash nest that you don't know about...

 

[inchworm]

They do free-range during the day. If they lay for 4 months in the box, will they suddenly start laying eggs somewhere else?

 

[dacjohns]

They sure can.


We don't let ours out until about noon. They will lay all day. Yesterday we had a bunch of eggs we gathered in the evening that were layed after we let the birds out.

 

[FarmerChick]

yup---I find eggs on the ground, in corners, you name it......not in the nest..LOL--where I need them to be.

if she is acting fine, keep her up for a few days by the nesting box....see if she really isn't laying.

then you know for sure.

if she isn't laying come back and tell us....she could be a "Sneaky Pete"---

 

[poppycat]

My hens come to a screeching halt in the winter. The shortest day of the year is December 21st, and depending on how far north you are, you might not be getting enough daylight hours.

We finally broke down and put a light in the coop. We're getting a few eggs now, but not near the summer amounts.

Also some breeds are better winter layers than others. My friend, who has all EE's gets NO eggs from November to March without artificial light.

 

[punkin]

My EE's have completely stopped, too. They haven't layed an egg for about a month now. I think it's just the habit of that breed. I don't use any artificial light so they can have their "rest" time.

I still get one every now and the from the Blue Andalusians.

The orps, australorpes and domineckers are still doing fine.

 

[Wifezilla]

Still waiting for the ducks to start laying ::tap tap tap:::

 

[inchworm]

I just rigged an enclosed run this morning. I was happy to let them roam the property, but we had to drop rock salt on the driveway yesterday. The run isn't predator proof (but niether was free-ranging) but it is keeping them from gobbling up the rock salt. Hate to think what would happen if they ingested all that rock salt!

Wifezilla - when my hens hadn't started laying, I took someone's advice on BYC and behaved like a rooster. I took hold of them by the shoulders, pushed them down a tad and shook them around a bit, probably more gently than a rooster would. Probably a coincidence, but they did start laying a couple of days later...

 

[FarmerChick]

you know inchy---one hen might never lay actually, or very sporadic cause if no roosters are around, one hen will become dominant and act like a rooster. She takes the male position.

also, rock salt! YIKES---yea watch that one..LOL

hmm...salting your chickens from the inside out before eating...good idea..HA HA HA

I have about 300 and yes they slow down in winter. It is a seasonal thing and they have rest and moult time and they are a general pain....hehehe......but I use no artifical light in my coops. What comes come, if they lay bad and hit close to 3 years old, sold they go.