45 week old ameraucana not laying

[ChickEchick]

Thank you so much for the response....

I have scoured the chicken yard and have not seen anything...
I do worm them once a quarter....
She was hatched in February.....
I do have oyster shells out....
BUT - you may have struck upon something... I have noticed that the brown'ish eggs I've found recently are longer than normal - I just thought my Barred Rock might be laying slightly different looking eggs since this is her third "season" for lack of a better term. SO that might be it - I only have two chickens..... I just have yet to see TWO eggs in the nesting box at the same time - that will confirm your theory.... THANK YOU!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

My response came in on the second page so I didn't see the photo.

Your hen is an Easter Egger not an Ameraucana, and looks like a hen to me in that photo. She is indeed likely laying brown eggs as her genetics may not have gotten the blue gene since she is a mixed breed EE...so that may be your answer. Both hens are laying less in the darker days which may be why you only get one egg a day. Time will tell for certain.

The other possible option may be she went into molt this first season as she was close to a year when the dark days hit. I have had first year pullets molt that first winter and not come into lay again until spring. If she is in a soft molt, a few feathers here and there rather than a hard molt (bare chicken),/it lingers longer and can cause a long delay in production.

My first EEs came into lay for a month around 8 months of age then went into a soft molt that first winter and didn't see eggs from them for a number of months until spring.

LofMc

 

[ChickEchick]

Well - there you have it! If she is an EE - then the brown egg (a bit longer than the ones I've seen in the past) may be her egg. Poor girl - I 've been asking her everyday "When are you going to lay your egg?" ---- She's probably sick of hearing it! I am still looking forward to seeing two eggs on the same day...... Just to make SURE!

A couple of folks have asked for pics of Eggs and better pics of the Chick in Question..... I think I might have my answer..... I will give it a several more days and if I'm still not sure - more info. will be forth coming!

THANK you one and ALL for the advice.....

 

[ChickEchick]

I'm now starting to think I might have a rooster.... So here is a head shot!

 

[aart]

That's a hen.
If you want to see if she's laying check her pelvic points,
can be kind of hard to find at first, but once you find them it's easy.

2 bony points(pelvic bones) on either side of vent:
Less than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means not laying.
More than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means laying.

 

[ChickEchick]

Ok - Thank you!

 

[ChickEchick]

I have noticed the EE in question goes right into the Nesting box (and stays) with my Barred Rock when she lays her egg. My other hens (Hamburg and Cinnamon Queen) never did this..... could it be a sign that the EE is about to lay?

 

[aart]

I have noticed the EE in question goes right into the Nesting box (and stays) with my Barred Rock when she lays her egg. My other hens (Hamburg and Cinnamon Queen) never did this..... could it be a sign that the EE is about to lay?

Yep, could be.

 

[ChickEchick]

Cool! Thank you!

 

[aart]

No guarantees, but checking out nests can be a good indicator......did you check her pelvic points?