Americauna stopped laying after just starting to lay?

[Farmer Brownie]

I have four chickens all of the same age, roughly 7 months old. Our americauna started laying first on July 12th. She laid one egg a day for six days and then one more on the 8th day. She has not laid any since. It has now been a little more that a month with no eggs. Along the way she has laid maybe four partially formed eggs.

We are feeding them complete layer pellets and introduced oyster shell about two weeks ago. They are not fed much in the way of "junk food". Her behavior and poops are normal as best as we can tell.

Most of the threads relating to egg production are about older chickens.

Can anyone offer advice for a new layer that has stopped?

 

[FirewifeJess]

Oh I'm so sorry to hear that! It must be very frustrating! I can't offer advice, my own girls just started laying about 3 weeks ago, but I hope someone helps you soon!

 

[Den in Penn]

Welcome to BYC.
You seem to be to doing every thing you should. If they get to free range she may be hiding them. If all the others are laying regular, and she can't hide them, then she may just be one of those very erratic layers. They happen from time to time.

 

[Farmer Brownie]

Thanks for the info. They don't free range so the eggs aren't getting lost. Maybe it is just erratic laying, I hope things straighten out for her soon.

 

[Farmer Brownie]

An update on our poor little chicken. This winter she was not laying at all. We thought possibly she was molting or a seasonal layer. This spring she did not start to lay. In the last week she started to sit on the ground a fair amount and has her tail down slightly. Her belly is very large and pulsing. The rest of her does not seem over weight, I can still feel her keel. I have felt around her belly and cannot feel any eggs. I checked in her vent a couple inches with my finger and found no signs of eggs. She is still eating well, drinking and active when out of the run. Can anyone offer advice on what we should do? I have found some info online regarding 'internal laying' I hope that is not the problem as it seems like a terminal condition.

Thanks for your help, we are quite concerned about our little Rosemary.

 

[Farmer Brownie]

Very sad news... Our little Rosemary had to be put to sleep.
Her abdomen was full of unformed eggs and thick fluid. After a visit with the vet and an ultrasound it was decided that little could be done to save her. Surgery would have been the only option but the vet did not feel she was likely to make it through.

 

[A Chicken Owner]

Sorry for your loss