Polish hen won't lay anymore

[Beldenfarm]

I have had a silver polish hen for 1.5 years now. She started laying about 6 months old, in the winter and spring. In the summer she got broody and became next box pals with my bantam Cochin. She was broody all 3 months of summer, and finally as it cooled down she lost those habits. Nothing I did would stop her from getting back into a box 10 minutes later... So she began molting at the normal fall time, probably October, and has fully regrown all her feathers. Problem is she hasn't laid any eggs since last spring it seems!

My hens who have all gone through a serious molt have stopped laying as well too, I am guessing it is due to their feathers re growing and focusing their protien on feathers rather than eggs. But is that it? Could something else be wrong too?
I treated them for worms just out of procedure and "just in case" before fall so they should be work free if they ever had them at all.

If it is due to their molting, how long until the polish starts laying again? It has been at least 2 months since her molt. Rest of flock is just finishing up their re growth but how long does it take between molt and egg laying to return?

Thanks!

 

[sourland]

For the most part Polish have been bred for 'pretty' rather than egg production. I doubt that she will start laying again until next spring as the day length in creases.

 

[Beldenfarm]

The thing is though that she laid very well even in the winter when she began laying. Probably once a day or every other day. She was very regular!

 

[sourland]

She was a first year pullet - she's now 1.5 years old hen and has been through the stress of being broody for 3 months plus a full molt. Next time it would probably be a good idea to not allow her to remain broody for that long - it can be quite debilitating.