Ancona started laying.... then stopped. Huh?

Curlita

Songster
11 Years
May 22, 2008
158
2
121
Seattle, WA
My Ancona started laying about a week and a half ago. She laid on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. And she hasn't laid since! She's acting normally, so I don't think she is egg bound, but I don't know...

She's about 26 weeks old. Any ideas? Do you think she's just getting her machinery on line, or would the reduced daylight be slowing her down?
 
Most pullets do that they will lay for maybe a week then take a week off from the hard work. Once she gets maybe about 2 eeks older she might lay one every 24-28 hours.
 
I am bumping this because it has now been three weeks since Tallulah laid an egg. I'm wondering if she is just stopping for the winter? It's very odd to me. Three eggs in one week and then nothing for three weeks. Huh???
 
Last edited:
No, she's acting her normal self. I've checked for any hidden egg stashes and am certain she just isn't laying.

My other two (a Black Star and an Australorp) are still laying 6 days out of 7. I guess Tallulah is just a tempermental Italian.
 
I posted a similar thread. One of ours did this too.

I was given week old Anconas by another member here to keep my poor solo silkie company when none other hatched. I swore they were going, and even had a home for them, but the silly things have grown on me, so now I am keeping them. We have one that literally spins in a circle any time she is upset. She cracks us up.
gig.gif


I don't have enough experience, but maybe this is the time of year.
 
Jennifer, I didn't really think I wanted my Ancona either (long story, I wound up with her on accident), but she's so funny and quirky. She's the most curious and observent of my chickens and the boldest -- she chases away squirrels and terrifies my cat.
 
I am bumping this because yesterday, after TWO MONTHS of not laying, Tallulah laid her fourth egg! It remains to be seen whether or not she will continue this trend, but I thought it was worth posting.

The mysteries of poultry....
 
Erica, Seattle is down to about 9 hours of sunlight right now.

My reading and limited experience with not using a light in the coop, indicates that you can fairly well completely shut the layers off when the light gets down to 8 hours. Just discouraging them from laying probably begins when nights runs longer than 12 hours.

Back in their natural habitat, the wild ancestors of our birds lived between about 5° South and 25° North of the equator. You and I are close to 49° North - big, big difference in hours of daylight and darkness.

I started using a light in the coop just about the time your Tallulah stopped laying.

Steve
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom