When to call it quit

[Javafan]

I have 3 hens; 2 Javas and 1 Wyandotte. One of my Java stopped laying 4 months ago now. Checked for all the recommended suspects, nothing works.
The Wyandotte stopped 3 weeks after her.
The other Java has been broody on and off and is now molting. Needless to say I am buying eggs ... and food for my non-producing hens.

Can I still hope that they will somehow start laying again or are they done for?

The curious thing is that both the non laying Java and the non laying Wyandotte sit in the nesting boxes regularly, but there is no egg. What gives?

 

[thomaschickens]

About how old are they? Maybe it's henopause

 

[RedDrgn]

About how old are they? Maybe it's henopause

Yep, age does matter and that could be! If they're free range, though, they could have secret nests hidden about the territory they roam, too. You'd have to keep a close watch on them and investigate every little nook and cranny they may be able to cram themselves into in that case to see if they're stashing eggs away on you.

 

[Javafan]

Loved the henopause suggestion

However I bought them, presumably at 28 to 30 weeks old in January of this year. I wanted pullets, got some full grown chickens. Since they are my first ones, who knows...

I have contacted the seller and applied all the suggestions: too much treats, not enough "laying food", parasites, stress, predators. We have no predators, the garden is fenced and walled in, no kids (all grown up), the dog doesn't get in the back yard anymore, because of the hens ... so it's me what can I say !

Checking them for mites got me to check their buts up close and personal. No sign of mites and no sign that they are laying either. I understand that the vent has to be somewhat pink. Theirs is nice and white, no sign of stress there !

One thing the seller told me is that Javas get whiter feathers as they age. The one that is molting now is definitely getting a lot more white feathers. Is that a sign that she is older than the about 14-15 months old she is supposed to be?

They have full access to (what is left) of the garden. Being in Southern California, green doesn't come naturally, so they are mostly on dirt now, with rocks as I had a nice path of rocks between my beds of plants. The plants are no more, but the rocks are not as tasty, so they stayed.

They get laying crumbles, which they like better than the pellets, lettuce daily and black oil sunflower seeds because of the molt, also daily.

They poop is nice and big with the occasional runny ones and, of course, the stinky cecal ones. No sign of worms.

They had worms before and that was obvious... and very gross. Took care of that with DE. It was mostly one, and she was laying again after. I did not want to use a dewormer without it being absolutely necessary.

They look healthy, as far as I know. Eat all their food and have the size of poop to match.

Just a thought; since they are not laying anyway and the Wyandotte is starting to molt as well, should I try to worm them? It’s not like I am going to waste any eggs !

At this point, my only "way out" is to eat them. Call me chicken, but I cannot do this ... not yet at least.

Any suggestions very welcome.