Ameraucana Blue Wheaton on Strike! No eggs in 10 weeks!

[CarolinaCdM]

I'm not sure there's an answer but out of our five hens, Blondie is the only one that lays a blue egg.... so I know she's the one not producing. She's only 1 year 3 months old and until she went on strike she gave us 2-3 eggs/week. I would consider the shorter days as a good excuse, but it's been going on since last August! She's free range and has the same high quality (unlimited organic) feed as the other hens along with unlimited oyster shell and always clean water and coop. Essentially it's a chicken country club. All the other girls are doing fine. Blondie runs around like everybody else, is strong, and seems stress free. What's up? (Three of our other hens are generic, plentiful layers 6-7 eggs per week and one Marans who even through molting is laying 5 eggs a week.) Thanks in advance!

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

She could be molting, or she could have a hidden nest somewhere. I would keep her penned up for a few days and see if she lays.

 

[CarolinaCdM]

No hidden eggs and no eggs after isolation! She's absolutely healthy and happy. I'm still puzzled.....

 

[CarolinaCdM]

I have just learned that Blondies two sisters that are owned by another family just 20 minutes away are still laying. They are the same breed/age. Any more ideas on what I should expect?

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

Did I usnderstand that she has not laid an egg for over a year, or did you mean THIS last Augest? Have you checked her for lumps behind the vent? Hens can sometimes lay internally. Do you have a poultry vet in your area?

 

[CarolinaCdM]

She has not laid an egg since THIS past August (therefore it's been about three months). She was hatched July 1st, 2013, so she's young! She is not laying internally.... no lumps at the vent. I have a feeling there is so much experience on this forum, that a vet may not be able to give me any more info.... if she can, is it really worth the cost? This hen is happy although I see she has fallen to the bottom of the pecking order (of five total).

 

[aldarita]

I have the same problem you have. My weathen Ameraucana was laying about three eggs per week. She is a year and a half old. She stopped laying around May and has not laid since. She is perfectly healthy, eats layer feed, free ranges every day from morning to dusk, there is always crushed egg shells and oyster shells available. I thought she had quit laying because of the summer heat, then she had a light molt in October and I believe she is still molting because I find few feathers where she roosts. I checked her abdomen for a distention but she is normal (I lost one of her sisters to EYP, she was an internal layer and never laid an egg). She is so beautiful, I am going to wait in hopes that she will resume laying maybe in spring.