7 month hen stopped laying

[Lesleyf858]

Their coop is predator proof and I only have two hens of laying age and I am getting the egg everyday from the other one. She seems healthy in every other way eating well etc. I can't imagine why she has stopped laying. The only thing that changed is that I went away for 4 days and my son took care of them but they know him so not sure that would make a difference She is not singing the egg song and she is definitely female because we were getting eggs regularly until very recently. I am worried that she may be sick but nothing is obvious to me.

 

[mmmyyykkkeee]

Is she molting?

 

[Lesleyf858]

No not molting it's beginning of summer here.

 

[NinaK123]

I am having the same problem and I live just north of San Diego near Fallbrook. My 8 month old black orpie just stopped laying. She was dependable and would go into the coop to lay her egg every day or every other day and then she just stopped. My other two hens lay almost every day. She seems healthy otherwise. I checked her for mites, etc and all seems fine. She looks great and she acts healthy. She makes quite a ruckous though when the other two go lay. I am wondering if she is too stressed out?? She came from a farm that kept her penned. Maybe being "free range" is too scary for her?

 

[sjturner79]

Have you any roosters with the flock?

Sometimes if you don't one of the hens decides to take on the job of rooster and stops laying

 

[UrbanFarmOC]

I'm in North OC. One of my EEs pretty much stopped laying in the last 4 months, she's only laid about 14 eggs. These were none this month. Then my other EE significantly slowed/stopped this month...she only gave us 3 eggs this month. Both are about 1 year and 3 months old. They were great layers at about 5-7 eggs a week. They look and act healthy. I feed them fermented feed using Scratch & Peck and they have free choice oyster shells. They free range in large backyard and have access to all sorts of greens, bugs and whatever they find on the property and compost heap. My rooster still chases and mates them though! My other hens, except for a broody and one that's stressed from bumble foot, are all laying normally. All are under 1.5 years old.

 

[ochochicas]

Did any of your hens start laying again? Often times they will stop laying if it gets too hot. Summer brings longer days but also higher temps.

I have a hen that has everyone else beat! She is a Plymouth rock and laid regularly all winter. In March of this year she turned one year old. About 2 weeks later she stopped laying. She has not laid an egg in four and a half months! She isn't molting, we have one rooster, she gets a great diet and lots of free range time. She did have some lice eggs on her so she was treated fro lice. Sometimes she will spend about 3 hours laying in the nest box and will sing her egg song, but no egg. She's not really broody, but maybe pseudo-broody. Is that even possible?

Is there any hope that she will lay again? She's one of my first chickens that I raised from a chick, so I'd like to see her lay again. Otherwise my neighbor has been asking if I have any stew hens for her. I figure I'll give her until October...that will be six months. I hope she starts to lay soon.

 

[UrbanFarmOC]

We decided to cull the hen. She hadn't laid in 3-4 months, and the gentle rooster, who is sweet and kind to everyone, did not like her at all. He would peck her when he was tidbitting, as if saying, "But not you!" So, we knew something was definitely off.

When we processed her, we discovered she was FAT...super fatty liver that just crumbled in my hand and fat around all her organs. I think it's genetics, as I have no other explanation. Our chickens free range and run around all day long and we don't often give them treats (about 1x per week or less). Besides the grasses and bugs they find themselves, they get FF and kitchen waste from a local the vegetarian cafe, which isn't a lot and doesn't contain much breads, cheeses or other not-so-good things. The other chickens are of healthy weights and lay normally. Anyways, I think that she would have croaked from hemorrhaging or liver failure had we not culled her.

 

[ochochicas]

Interesting! Our Plymouth rock is rather fat, too. However, the RIR we have that is her "sister" is even fatter and she lays an egg almost everyday. I figure if she hasn't laid in 6 months it will be time to cull her since there is probably something wrong with her. Our rooster gets along fine with her, she isn't molting, she's not old, and she isn't broody, so maybe it is a health problem.

 

[mmmyyykkkeee]

I read somewhere that if the chickens get too fat they will not lay eggs.