2 year old Hen, Zero Eggs

[wild chick]

Just wondering: I have 7 Wyandottes from a hatchery, 2 years & 3 months old. One has not laid an egg since she molted last winter, I just let her free-load, but finally today butchered her. There were no signs of any eggs, not the tiny eraser-size blobs, nothing. I could find nothing that even looked like a reproductive system! If she had not laid her first year I'd have thought she was born sterile. These girls first year of laying we had at least 4 or 5 100% days, so she had to have laid a little. Anyone know what happens in a case like this? She was very healthy & completely normal otherwise and had beautiful feathers as the rooster ignored her completely. She was fatty, but I expected that since she wasn't using her reserve to make eggs. Thanks for input if anyone else has seen this!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Fatty hens often don't lay. Fat can interfere with hormones. Feeding a higher protein ration and not feeding extras can help to optimize laying.

 

[wild chick]

I totally understand that, @oldhenlikesdogs but she got the same feed as her original "sisters" from the hatchery & the additional pullets/hens that were hatched last summer & she's the only one that totally quit. It's like she ran out of eggs since I couldn't find any inside her, not even the tiny ones. Just wondering if this has been seen by anyone else?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Well they only have one functioning ovary so if something damages it they can be done laying. I'm actually more surprised how many get it right. Hopefully someone who has seen it will pop in.

 

[Kale Chips]

My grandma got a small flock of hens, and the one SLW has not laid a single egg...even though she is a spritely chicken with gorgeous feathers and good energy. 2 years old-ish as well! Same exact scenario. Am definitely following this thread in case someone has an answer!

 

[wild chick]

@Kale Chips, I don't think there is an answer, I'm just wondering if it's very common. From looking at her health (A+) and her insides (zero eggs or anything to make them from) I think she was a fluke that couldn't produce, no fault of her own. I'm just wondering if this is happening a lot or is truly a fluke that I won't see again. I gave her 10 months to "fix herself" but she didn't and couldn't. There were no eggs to produce.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

In my experiences it's unusual for a dual purpose breed to quit completely so young. I've had sex links burn out young, but dual purpose tends to lay later in life before quitting completely.

 

[aart]

She was fatty, but I expected that since she wasn't using her reserve to make eggs.

Correct.

Hard to know exactly why if you saw no obvious disease or deformations.
Hard to know how common it might be with not many folks opening them up to look.
Have slaughtered several hens with a non functioning ovary and no sign of disease,
they were a bit older ~3-4yo, and definitely had that surfeit of fat both inside and out.

 

[wild chick]

Pretty much like that, @aart - and why I brought it up, because so many don't look. I don't like butcher day at all, but this is the first time I had to do a chicken that I liked & wasn't a cockerel, just adjusting the chicken math... But if a chicken of mine dies, whether at my hand or unknowns, I want to know the whys. Hope curiosity never kills this cat!