Ameraucana's refuse to lay eggs!

[bighandchicken]

I have 2 barred rock, 2 rhode island reds and 2 ameraucanas that are 8 months old. The barred rocks and rhode island hens started laying at around 21 weeks. One of our ameraucanas had her first egg at 20 weeks, but she couldn't pass it. We made her a private hen house, made her super comfortable but Everytime she would squat, the egg would get stuck in her vent and she would make a terrible noise due to the pain. Ended up doing an episiotomy on the poor thing to get the egg out and she was a happy lady after that! That is the only egg she has ever produced and the other ameraucana hasn't produced any. Is this normal for this breed? How much longer should i give these freeloaders before turning them into chicken soup?

 

[ejcrist]

I have 2 barred rock, 2 rhode island reds and 2 ameraucanas that are 8 months old. The barred rocks and rhode island hens started laying at around 21 weeks. One of our ameraucanas had her first egg at 20 weeks, but she couldn't pass it. We made her a private hen house, made her super comfortable but Everytime she would squat, the egg would get stuck in her vent and she would make a terrible noise due to the pain. Ended up doing an episiotomy on the poor thing to get the egg out and she was a happy lady after that! That is the only egg she has ever produced and the other ameraucana hasn't produced any. Is this normal for this breed? How much longer should i give these freeloaders before turning them into chicken soup?

Well, the days are still short so reduced production is expected, but I don't know about no or one production. Personally if they were mine I'd probably give 'em till around the end of March or so, assuming they're not SOP birds. If SOP I'd give them till probably May. After that though I'd have to cash in on them.

 

[JurassicBawk]

I have 4 Easter Eggers, with 2 being hand raised by me from 1 day old and 2 added in when they were supposed to be about 6 months. Three of them all started laying between 6-7 months, and the 4th (that I raised and know her hatch date) didn't start until last month when she was 10 months. It took her 44.5 weeks (312 days) to start, but she's been consistent ever since. I think the change in the daylight delayed her even more than it normally would have. I've been told that the green/blue egg chickens are usually 'late bloomers' and take longer than production red/white egg birds.

 

[Ljc01]

If it makes you feel any better, I have an Astrolorp that is 10 months old and has never laid an egg. The last week she has been sitting in the nest box, making a lot of noise, but not laying anything.

 

[donrae]

Can you post pictures of your birds?

do you free range? Any possibilities of them hiding eggs?

What do you feed?

Where are you located?

What color was the one egg she gave you?

 

[bighandchicken]

Can you post pictures of your birds? 

do you free range? Any possibilities of them hiding eggs? 

What do you feed?

Where are you located?

What color was the one egg she gave you?

The egg she laid was a light greenish blue color. I let them freerange when I'm home and outside with them, but not so much in the winter. I live in Michigan and i don't use artificial light. I have them eating a layers feed. My 4 other hens are laying eggs like champions, even with the shorter days

 

[bighandchicken]

Thank you everyone for the feedback! It gives me hope for my lazy layers!

 

[Heron's Nest Farm]

I would try putting a light in the hen house and increasing protein by 25%.

My Ameraucanas slow down in winter to nothing if I don't have a light on. Put the light on a time giving 1/2 more light in the am than there is. increase every week by 15 minutes.

 

[aart]

..... One of our ameraucanas had her first egg at 20 weeks, but she couldn't pass it. We made her a private hen house, made her super comfortable but Everytime she would squat, the egg would get stuck in her vent and she would make a terrible noise due to the pain.
Ended up doing an episiotomy on the poor thing to get the egg out and she was a happy lady after that! ........

Seriously?!?!
How did it heal up?

 

[bighandchicken]

She was a trooper and healed fine. We were afraid that she told her friend that laying eggs is awful and that's why neither of them will produce eggs now!