22 week old hen laid one egg, and hasn't laid one since (I think?)

[cp2894_]

So about a week and a half ago, one (or possibly 2) of our 5 girls started laying. They're all around 22 weeks old and I've been giving them oyster shells in a separate feeder for a few weeks. Then one day we got our first egg! It was a little on the small side and had a heavy bloom but it had a strong shell and the inside was normal. Didn't know who it was at first but then the next day I went to check for eggs and Edith, our sapphire gem, was sitting in the nesting box where we found the previous day's egg. However, the new egg was on the ground in the coop in a makeshift nest in a empty circle of bedding. All the other girls were in the coop as well. I thought maybe it was Edith and that the egg either fell out or she laid it on the floor and then was just hanging out in the nesting box. About an hour later when I went to check again, there was another egg where Edith had been sitting so obviously someone else laid the floor egg. I'm guessing it was one of our 2 easter eggers, Franny, because she was looking around the coop floor by herself like she was looking for the egg. Ever since that day though we've only gotten one egg per day in the same nesting box that Edith used. Is it normal that one of the girls (most likely Franny) only laid one day and hasn't laid since? Or could they possibly be switching days but using the same nesting box? It's especially hard to tell because all the eggs have been brown. Also, is it normal that the 3 others haven't laid at all yet?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

When it comes to pullets starting to lay, especially this time of year, everything goes.

It all sounds normal to me. It can take a while for everything to regulate. If you are in the northern hemisphere we are under decreasing light which will lessen hormones. Egg production increases generally under increasing light.

Also as temperatures fall birds put energy into keeping warm which will affect production. A decrease in water consumption or feed can also affect production.

Stress too affects production. All the new sensations from egg laying itself can cause stress in a few until it becomes normal to them.

So in general it usually takes a few weeks to a month or two for pullets to work out the kinks. Eggs can be sporadic this time of year.

 

[cp2894_]

When it comes to pullets starting to lay, especially this time of year, everything goes.

It all sounds normal to me. It can take a while for everything to regulate. If you are in the northern hemisphere we are under decreasing light which will lessen hormones. Egg production increases generally under increasing light.

Also as temperatures fall birds put energy into keeping warm which will affect production. A decrease in water consumption or feed can also affect production.

Stress too affects production. All the new sensations from egg laying itself can cause stress in a few until it becomes normal to them.

So in general it usually takes a few weeks to a month or two for pullets to work out the kinks. Eggs can be sporadic this time of year.

Thanks for the insight! That's very helpful. Do you have any idea why one of them has taken to the nesting boxes right away but the other one laid on the floor?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thanks for the insight! That's very helpful. Do you have any idea why one of them has taken to the nesting boxes right away but the other one laid on the floor?

Do you have fake eggs in the boxes? Generally they will lay where others have, or they will seek out what they think is a smart spot. Is the one laying on the floor lower on the pecking order? Sometimes dominate hens will chase off other hens wanting to use the boxes.

 

[Cinnaminute]

I'm not very experienced as this is my first flock, but my pullets are doing something similar. I have 6 Easter Egger pullets that are 21 going on 22 weeks old. My one girl, Stitch, started maturing quicker than the others and about a week ago she laid her first egg. However, she hasn't laid any since and none of the others have started. I've been kinda weirded out by it. Especially when my 8 month old Polish bantam who started laying almost 3 weeks ago is still laying on a regular schedule. So thanks for asking about your girls. Helped me understand mine better, haha.

 

[TX Chick Noob]

Here is a screenshot of my egg chart. It shows the dates my girls started laying and how regularly at first. The first five listed are all ISA Browns, the rest are EE/OE, all from the same hatchery and hatched same day. You can see some started much later than the others, even the ISAs. And some were much more sporadic/soft at the beginning. Each hen is unique, breed “statistics” are just that, an average of what frequently happens. Not a hard rule.

 

[ChookieG]

I've had one girl who took the longest to begin laying...about a month later than the rest. When she finally did, it went on for about 20 days and then it became sporadic for another 2 weeks and then she completely stopped. We waited for another 3 months and she was freeloading all that while. We finally sent her to the stock pot yesterday. I think some hens are just genetically poor layers. I think you can monitor them for a few months and see how it goes. We considered it might be the cold that was affecting her but all the others were already laying. She was more susceptible to worm burdens though so we believe she was immunologically weaker.

 

[cp2894_]

Do you have fake eggs in the boxes? Generally they will lay where others have, or they will seek out what they think is a smart spot. Is the one laying on the floor lower on the pecking order? Sometimes dominate hens will chase off other hens wanting to use the boxes.

Hey, sorry for responding so late. It's been a busy couple of weeks. I have two 2 ceramic eggs in each nesting box. Now 2 of them have been laying consistently. The one that's been laying the longest is still using the nesting box and the other one has been laying under the roosts or still by the nesting boxes on the ground of the coup. Today, one of my easter eggers laid her first egg but it was outside in the run. The one that's been laying the longest is at the top of the pecking order but I haven't noticed her messing with the other hens when they go near/in the nesting boxes.

 

[cp2894_]

I'm not very experienced as this is my first flock, but my pullets are doing something similar. I have 6 Easter Egger pullets that are 21 going on 22 weeks old. My one girl, Stitch, started maturing quicker than the others and about a week ago she laid her first egg. However, she hasn't laid any since and none of the others have started. I've been kinda weirded out by it. Especially when my 8 month old Polish bantam who started laying almost 3 weeks ago is still laying on a regular schedule. So thanks for asking about your girls. Helped me understand mine better, haha.

The one I mentioned in the post has finally been laying consistently! Still outside of the nesting box but we're working on that haha. I wouldn't be too worried if you're still having the same problem as long as she's acting normal. Hope she starts laying soon!

 

[cp2894_]

I've had one girl who took the longest to begin laying...about a month later than the rest. When she finally did, it went on for about 20 days and then it became sporadic for another 2 weeks and then she completely stopped. We waited for another 3 months and she was freeloading all that while. We finally sent her to the stock pot yesterday. I think some hens are just genetically poor layers. I think you can monitor them for a few months and see how it goes. We considered it might be the cold that was affecting her but all the others were already laying. She was more susceptible to worm burdens though so we believe she was immunologically weaker.

Thank you for sharing! Since I posted this she's been laying consistently so far but I'll keep that in mind if any of the others have that problem.