3 Year Old hens haven't laid in years!!!

[BDutch]

I'm down in Australia, so we don't get those luscious dark eggs unfortunately.

Do you have autumn now. And you haven’t had an egg all summer?
When did the Marans stop laying?

 

[BDutch]

More questions:
How much room do they have inside and outside?
Do you have 23 hens? Did the problem start after you added the pullets.
Do you free range too?

Some breeds/hens are more vulnerable for stress than others.
More space with bushes and lots of clutter, or free ranging almost whole day could help. Or another setup for the 3 Marans away from the young chickens.

 

[sean_wonder]

I know lots of people claim that their 6 year old hens still give them eggs, and maybe they are for where they live.

Just wanted to pop in here to say I have a flock of five 6 year old Silkie crosses, one 5 year old barnyard mix, two 4 year old Brahmas and one 4 year old Olive Egger. Out of all 9, I get between 3 to 7 eggs a day. I do have an egg eater in my flock as well and still manage to collect that much.

For OP… Do you live somewhere where snakes are common? Would you be opposed to setting up a camera of some sort to see if there’s any predation or egg eating happening?

 

[BDutch]

Just wanted to pop in here to say I have a flock of five 6 year old Silkie crosses, one 5 year old barnyard mix, two 4 year old Brahmas and one 4 year old Olive Egger. Out of all 9, I get between 3 to 7 eggs a day. I do have an egg eater in my flock as well and still manage to collect that much.

I have a 9 year old bantam hen that started laying again two weeks ago.
All my chickens lay now except for Pearl (9yo and Ini Mini 10yo).

Ages in the Anymal screenshot. Day-Month-Year of hatch. ‘24 =2024.
Only Tonic fell off the screen. She is the twin sister of Gin.

Average 4 eggs a day/6 chickens laying.
Gin and Tonic lay 5-6 eggs a week. Black more likely 2 , maybe 3 eggs a week so far.

 

[Rxsevenbos]

More questions:
How much room do they have inside and outside?
Do you have 23 hens? Did the problem start after you added the pullets.
Do you free range too?

Some breeds/hens are more vulnerable for stress than others.
More space with bushes and lots of clutter, or free ranging almost whole day could help. Or another setup for the 3 Marans away from the young chickens.

Yep, coming in Autumn now and no egg from the Marans cross all Summer.

Nope, I have 3 chooks not 23. A Marans cross, a Welsummer & an Easter Egger.

They free range in my safe, predator proof backyard which is about 700sqm. Fig trees to hide under, blueberry bushes to destroy & hide in, grass, clover, a veggie garden they love to run a muck in, plenty of sun, plenty of water.

The Easter Egger is almost 3. The other two I hatched myself (a total of 5 hatched, 3 went to a friend & I kept two).

She was laying.. then randomly stopped and I haven't seen an egg since. I know they're not being stashed because she was even isolated within their run for a period of time whilst I treated her with antibiotics etc to see if that was the cause. That was almost 4 months ago.

 

[BDutch]

Yep, coming in Autumn now and no egg from the Marans cross all Summer.

Nope, I have 3 chooks not 23. A Marans cross, a Welsummer & an Easter Egger.

They free range in my safe, predator proof backyard which is about 700sqm. Fig trees to hide under, blueberry bushes to destroy & hide in, grass, clover, a veggie garden they love to run a muck in, plenty of sun, plenty of water.

The Easter Egger is almost 3. The other two I hatched myself (a total of 5 hatched, 3 went to a friend & I kept two).

She was laying.. then randomly stopped and I haven't seen an egg since. I know they're not being stashed because she was even isolated within their run for a period of time whilst I treated her with antibiotics etc to see if that was the cause. That was almost 4 months ago.

Space wise your setup is great. -> Cant be stress related.

So she was ill. Maybe an internal infection? This can cause infertility.

Hens with an infection in their egg system often stop laying or get deformed eggs. Sometimes they start to lay normal eggs again after the winter/rest period

.

 

[Rxsevenbos]

Space wise your setup is great. -> Cant be stress related.

So she was ill. Maybe an internal infection? This can cause infertility.

Hens with an infection in their egg system often stop laying or get deformed eggs. Sometimes they start to lay normal eggs again after the winter/rest period

.

No, she wasn't ill but when she stopped laying, I asked chook groups for advice and they suggested isolating, rest, electrolytes etc.. when that didn't work, the vet suggested some oxymav & triple c.. so I isolated her for that too

She had shown no obvious signs, no lethargy, no weird poops etc so I was/still am absolutely stumped.

Fingers crossed you're right and the Winter rest does the trick.. even if she HAS been resting all Summer too haha

 

[BDutch]

when that didn't work, the vet suggested some oxymav & triple c.. so I isolated her for that too

I hate vets who give medicines to a chicken without knowing whats wrong. Especially antibiotics. + isolation is stressful for most chickens.

Not common but , some hens are born with a deficiency and never lay an egg. Some get an infection in the egg-laying system and stop laying eggs. This is a riddle for the owner if the infection goes by unnoticed.
I think this is what happened with you Maran. You can keep her as a pet. And with a bit of luck she will start laying again after her next moult.

But please don’t ever go to that vet again, and only give medicines to chickens if you know they are needed.

 

[Mrs. K]

There is laying, and then there is LAYING. Age and genetics are the major influences on the number of eggs laid in a year.

Technically a bird that lays once every two weeks is laying. The bird right next to her with same feed and light, laying 12 eggs in the same 14 days is laying. The difference is production.

A pretty basic diet will meet their needs. Enough feed is important, but once that is met, diet has less effect on egg production.

If you want more consistent eggs, have a few high production breeds, and a multi generational flock.