6 Year old hen started laying again after 3 years

[Skyeknight]

This is not really a question but more just sharing my experience, since I couldn't find anything similar on the site.

A few days ago I suddenly got 3 eggs on the same day while I though one of my hens had stopped laying years ago. I have 3 hens that lay at the moment a blue barred at least 5 year old backyardmix who has been laying for years, a splash (probably barred) at least 6 years old backyardmix who stopped laying 3 years ago and a 7 month old silkie. My blue hen has been laying small round white eggs (left in the picture), so I know what her eggs look like. Before this year I also never had 2 eggs on the same day or eggs that differed in looks. So when I started getting 2 eggs on the same day I naturally assumed my silkie had started laying, these new white eggs are more oval (middle in picture). But then I received a small brown egg on the same day as the other 2 (right in picture). Since my 2 mixes are related I could now obviously assume the white eggs belong to them, while the brown egg belongs to the silkie.

Left egg from blue hen, middle from splash hen, right from silkie hen.

I assumed the splash hen stopped laying because I moved a few years ago. Back then I downsized from 20 birds to 3 chickens and 3 ducks. I don't remember her laying ever since then. As to why she has started laying again there are 3 big changes since last year. Firstly I have a new coop now that is way more comfortable space-wise, went from a 1m by 1m to an about 2m by 5m. Secondly I added the silkie 2 months ago. And finally I got a rooster last October. I personally think the rooster might be the reason she started laying again. It makes sense to me that since eggs are there for reproduction adding a male after years would be the reason for a hen to start laying again. What are your opinions on this?

From left to right: Ayam Cemani rooster, splash hen, blue hen, silkie hen.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I've had hens that stopped laying for years suddenly lay a few eggs again. A hen can technically lay her whole life but most are done by 6-8 years of age with an occasional egg.

 

[Skyeknight]

I've had hens that stopped laying for years suddenly lay a few eggs again. A hen can technically lay her whole life but most are done by 6-8 years of age with an occasional egg.

That's so interesting! I have never heard of that. Do you know or have any sources as to why they can suddenly start laying again? Is it triggered by something or seemingly random?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That's so interesting! I have never heard of that. Do you know or have any sources as to why they can suddenly start laying again? Is it triggered by something or seemingly random?

Just what I've seen over the years from my own birds. It almost always is in spring, so I'm sure the increasing daylight triggers a hormonal response in some older hens.

 

[cockatricekeeper]

Some of mine have stopped for a few years and then restarted. Had a nearly 8 year old girl lay a few a year after 4 years of nothing, usually during springs or warm summers. One older girl restarted daily laying after she was placed with a new flock (Her old flock passed, she was the sole survivor. Guess the stress made her stop?). I suppose it's similar to how menopause in mammals doesn't completely stop periods or potential ability to get pregnant. It doesn't appear to have any other health effects as far as I can tell

 

[Chicken Heel]

That rooster is a handsome devil; probably related to his arrival.

 

[D13]

I own 4 6-year-old hens, a black sex-link, a barred rock, and 2 Buff Orpingtons.
They each usually lay about 1-3 times a week.
It seems to me that when new hens in the flock get consistent with laying the old hens get all excited and start laying too!

Right as soon as new hens start laying though you might expect your other laying hens to pause for a bit. This is completely normal and is known as "Henopause".

Love your rooster btw, is he an Ayam Cemani?

 

[Skyeknight]

It seems to me that when new hens in the flock get consistent with laying the old hens get all excited and start laying too!

Technically in this case my new silkie started laying after my splash 6 year old hen started laying. The blue hen did start laying first this year.

Right as soon as new hens start laying though you might expect your other laying hens to pause for a bit. This is completely normal and is known as "Henopause"

Thanks for the new word that I have now learned! But what does the start with laying of new hens have to do with henopause? Wikipedia seems to say that henopause is a forever stop to laying and not just a pause.

Love your rooster btw, is he an Ayam Cemani?

Thanks, yeah he is!

 

[D13]

Thanks for the new word that I have now learned! But what does the start with laying of new hens have to do with henopause? Wikipedia seems to say that henopause is a forever stop to laying and not just a pause.

I'm not sure what Wikipedia's on about; it's definitely not forever. Don't worry about it, Wikipedia can't be right every time.

My first thought is the shock of having new hens laying must be what keeps the older girls from laying. This makes sense, as other disturbances like a new rooster or a new coop can throw them for a loop and make them stop laying for a bit while they get used to this new thing they've been presented with.

Also it's henopause, not henostop. It's a really weird word lol.
I learned about the term from a book called "How To Speak Chicken" written by Melissa Caughey (Attached Below).

Thanks, yeah he is!

That's impressive; those things are ridiculously expensive and rare!

 

[Skyeknight]

My first thought is the shock of having new hens laying must be what keeps the older girls from laying. This makes sense, as other disturbances like a new rooster or a new coop can throw them for a loop and make them stop laying for a bit while they get used to this new thing they've been presented with.

This is why I think moving and reducing the flock is the reason why she stopped laying back then. Both of these alone are already an immense change. But now I have once again changed things although to a lesser degree and she started laying again, so that's quite intersting to me as to why.

That's impressive; those things are ridiculously expensive and rare!

with fear of going too far offtopic I do want to say this publicly. Maybe that is the case in America, but for as a far as I know not in the Netherlands. It was a Dutch person that imported Ayam Cemani's to the Netherlands in 1998. As I understand it basically all Ayam Cemani's in Europe and America are descendents from these. Here I can buy hens on Marktplaats (Dutch version of craigslist) for less than 20 euro's. Roosters are avaible for free or less than 10 euro's. And if the pictures are to be believed that is without any leakage.

As for my rooster specifically, I got him for free from a friend cause he was aggressive towards her family members. If you want to know more about this take it up with me in direct messages or tag me in a thread that is for that purpose. Thanks for reading my ted talk