45 week old ameraucana not laying

[ChickEchick]

The title of this thread about sums up my Question! She is happy and healthy - one of two in my flock of two! The three year old Barred Rock just started laying again a few days ago after a molt and the shorter days on November and December....

I have TWO nesting boxes - both dry and secluded - they have oyster shell and lots of chicken food and kitchen scraps. Like I said the old gal is back in action - the young one - not so much!

Did I get a non-layer? Perhaps..... thoughts?

 

[allosaurusrock]

Can we see pictures? She might be a rooster.

 

[ChickEchick]

 

[ChickEchick]

The brown one .... Pretty sure she is a hen - but I'm not an expert...

 

[allosaurusrock]

Can I see a head shot? I want to look at that comb. Sorry for bothering you for more pictures.

 

[ChickEchick]

I will have to take one tomorrow ...... No bother at all - thank you for the help! If she is a he - that will explain things.... More to follow....

 

[allosaurusrock]

Thanks!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

We'll presume you are correct and she is really a she.

So she would be about 11 months old...that would mean she hatched last February?

Hmmmm....she should be laying by now. Ameraucanas/EE's mature more slowly than others, but generally lay by 6 to 8 months of age. That should have put her at maturity during summer with plenty of daylight, so it shouldn't be an issue of hitting maturity at the late fall when days are shortening...in those cases i often don't see young pullets of my slower maturing breeds come into lay until spring time.

My other thought would be...are you sure she isn't laying and hiding her eggs? I've had "late layers" end up laying everywhere but the nest box. I'd go on an easter egg hunt to see if maybe she is hiding her eggs in an unusual place. Watch her to see where she might be lingering.

The last thought is she is laying and you simply don't recognize her eggs as they are not blue. If she is an EE, rather than a true Ameraucana, she may lay brown or even white, instead of the trademark blue or green. Her eggs may be getting lost in the nest with the rest.

If none of that pans out, and you are absolutely sure she is a she, it is likely something is amiss with either her hormones or her egg duct, which would be genetic...it could be calcium deficiency or possibly worm load...general health would be a consideration then.

My thoughts.

LofMc

 

[ChickEchick]

Thank you so much for the response....

I have scoured the chicken yard and have not seen anything...
I do worm them once a quarter....
She was hatched in February.....
I do have oyster shells out....
BUT - you may have struck upon something... I have noticed that the brown'ish eggs I've found recently are longer than normal - I just thought my Barred Rock might be laying slightly different looking eggs since this is her third "season" for lack of a better term. SO that might be it - I only have two chickens..... I just have yet to see TWO eggs in the nesting box at the same time - that will confirm your theory.... THANK YOU!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

My response came in on the second page so I didn't see the photo.

Your hen is an Easter Egger not an Ameraucana, and looks like a hen to me in that photo. She is indeed likely laying brown eggs as her genetics may not have gotten the blue gene since she is a mixed breed EE...so that may be your answer. Both hens are laying less in the darker days which may be why you only get one egg a day. Time will tell for certain.

The other possible option may be she went into molt this first season as she was close to a year when the dark days hit. I have had first year pullets molt that first winter and not come into lay again until spring. If she is in a soft molt, a few feathers here and there rather than a hard molt (bare chicken),/it lingers longer and can cause a long delay in production.

My first EEs came into lay for a month around 8 months of age then went into a soft molt that first winter and didn't see eggs from them for a number of months until spring.

LofMc