6 Year old hen started laying again after 3 years

[D13]

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

Well I'll be darned. Didn't know they were common in the Netherlands! Thanks for the info

 

[SkyAJK]

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.
View attachment 4116528
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?
View attachment 4116556
From left to right: Ayam Cemani rooster, splash hen, blue hen, silkie hen.

Thank you for sharing your experience....reading your post, I have hope for m barred rock hen.

I got my barred rock hen when she was almost 2 years old and I was told that she was laying egg. She is with us for around 2 years now so she is 4 years old.

My barred rock hen - Apple has never ever lay a proper eggs since she with us. She did poop out tiny egg without york. She used to visit the nest box, sat in it and no egg. She was troublesome in all direction - bully, diarrhea non stop. All sort of treatment failed except reduced her water in take. I gave up on that, I just wash her bottom every day.

I accepted that Apple will never lay egg, but I am graceful that she is healthy (ignoring the prolong diarrhea). Reading your post, I have hope for Apple....might be after her molt, her body changed and she might eventually lay an egg....and if she want to be mother hen, I will lay out the red carpet for her to do so.

 

[Skyeknight]

Thank you for sharing your experience....reading your post, I have hope for m barred rock hen.

I got my barred rock hen when she was almost 2 years old and I was told that she was laying egg. She is with us for around 2 years now so she is 4 years old.

My barred rock hen - Apple has never ever lay a proper eggs since she with us. She did poop out tiny egg without york. She used to visit the nest box, sat in it and no egg. She was troublesome in all direction - bully, diarrhea non stop. All sort of treatment failed except reduced her water in take. I gave up on that, I just wash her bottom every day.

I accepted that Apple will never lay egg, but I am graceful that she is healthy (ignoring the prolong diarrhea). Reading your post, I have hope for Apple....might be after her molt, her body changed and she might eventually lay an egg....and if she want to be mother hen, I will lay out the red carpet for her to do so.

No problem, This is why I shared it! I would love to hear some more about your situation. When you got Apple was it just her or more members of her previous flock? How much can you trust that she was 2 years old back then? What does your current flock look like? As in do you free range, have a rooster and where does Apple fit inot the "pecking order"?

 

[SkyAJK]

No problem, This is why I shared it! I would love to hear some more about your situation. When you got Apple was it just her or more members of her previous flock? How much can you trust that she was 2 years old back then? What does your current flock look like? As in do you free range, have a rooster and where does Apple fit inot the "pecking order"?

Apple came to us alone.
The person I got Apple from told me that she is between 1.5 - 2 years of age.
They got her for 2 weeks and she was bullying their 2 hens so they can not keep her.
Apple joined my flock of 6 making her the 7th. They were all peaceful except for Apple. She tried to bully some of the hens and the rooster pecked at her, then she stopped.
The rooster had never bully Apple, he just did not come near her.
Apple has never been bully by anyone in the flock. She is mostly hang around my oldest hen, but this hen did not pick on her or befriend with her.

Apple has not lay any egg, but sat in the nestbox for hours and nothing for many months, then that stopped going to the nestbox.
The person I got her from told me she was laying eggs at their place.

The 7 chickens were in a large run with 2 coops to sleep in.
In the afternoon they all get to go into the general garden.
2 extra chickens are hatched by mother hen of my flock thus making my flock of 7 into 9
Last December the rooster passed away.
My flock of 9 is in disharmony without the rooster, so I divided the run into 2, now I have 2 separate group of chickens.
.
Apple bully and mated some of my hens to featherless. She is now permanently by herself in the general garden.

Apple is the biggest hen physically in my flock, she is tall and quite solid build.

Apple has been with us for 2 years so she is more or less 4 years old now.

This year is the first time she molted and grew new feather.

I hope that she will start laying proper egg like your hen.

 

[Skyeknight]

She tried to bully some of the hens and the rooster pecked at her, then she stopped.
The rooster had never bully Apple, he just did not come near her.

So she moved twice in 2 weeks which would probably be pretty stressfull. Did the other person have a rooster of their own? If she has always been top dog in a flock being put in place by a rooster could be an added stress factor.

The person I got Apple from told me that she is between 1.5 - 2 years of age.

Apple has not lay any egg, but sat in the nestbox for hours and nothing. The person I got her from told me she was laying eggs at their place.

So there is no proof she is the age the person said she is or that she was laying. I am not saying I believe this, but there is always a chance this person could have been lying to get rid of Apple.

Apple bully and mated some of my hens to featherless. She is now permanently by herself in the general garden.

Mated your hens? that doesn't sound quite right.

This year is the first time she molted and grew new feather.

I hope that she will start laying proper egg like your hen.

As far as I know chickens molt every year. Maybe in another climate it could be different. But maybe it's something that went unnoticed?

I am no expert on this. I simply want to know how similar our cases are. As for "laying proper eggs" she seems to lay about 2 or 3 eggs a week, and they feel a bit awkward. Don't know how to explain it, they have bumps and I feel like they are akwardly pointy.

 

[SkyAJK]

So she moved twice in 2 weeks which would probably be pretty stressfull. Did the other person have a rooster of their own? If she has always been top dog in a flock being put in place by a rooster could be an added stress factor.


So there is no proof she is the age the person said she is or that she was laying. I am not saying I believe this, but there is always a chance this person could have been lying to get rid of Apple.

Mated your hens? that doesn't sound quite right.

As far as I know chickens molt every year. Maybe in another climate it could be different. But maybe it's something that went unnoticed?

I am no expert on this. I simply want to know how similar our cases are. As for "laying proper eggs" she seems to lay about 2 or 3 eggs a week, and they feel a bit awkward. Don't know how to explain it, they have bumps and I feel like they are akwardly pointy.

Did the other person have a rooster of their own?
No, she told me she has 2 hens and Apple was the 3rd one.

If she has always been top dog in a flock being put in place by a rooster could be an added stress factor.
Our rooster did not bother with Apple, he only came to peck at her when she bully other hens.

Mated your hens? that doesn't sound quite right.
Sometimes after the rooster passed away, Apple jumped on the other hens acting like she is mating them.
Some of them lose their back and wings feather due to this. Apple is is physically big compared to those hens.

Apple has not lay any eggs since she came to us, except those tiny kidney bean size egg. She laid those in a handful of time only. She has not done that in a long time now.

Many times I looked back and believe that most likely the person sold Apple to me did not tell me the true, Apple did not lay any eggs at her place and also she has chronic diarrhea.

Apple is healthy beside her chronic diarrhea and not laying eggs. I tried to treat her diarrhea for so long, the only thing that work is withheld water from her so she does not drink too much. I gave up and let her be....

 

[Skyeknight]

I think for now this is just a wait and see if she will ever start laying. I am sorry I can't help further.

 

[SkyAJK]

I think for now this is just a wait and see if she will ever start laying. I am sorry I can't help further.

I was hoping that she might poop an egg after many years like your hen. Hope is good.

Other than that.... I am good with Apple the way she is. I am done with trying to fix anything with her now.
Apple will just be herself for the rest of her natural life, we love her regardless.

 

[msmidwick]

I'm betting it is the rooster. I had my hens for a couple years with no rooster. I recently added one (and accidentally got 2) and my girls are so happy they are all laying again. I was getting 5 eggs a day from 11 hens and now get 7-9 a day. Some of the hens are pretty old too!! Nature is a great thing isn't it.

 

[SkyAJK]

I like having a rooster around. Rooster does many important things that without him the flock is a bit of a scramble issues.