Another "why won't she lay?" post

[GallusSapiens]

We have four hens: two Buff Orpingtons and two Golden Comets, all about 15 months old. About 11 weeks ago, one of the Buffs went broody. Because we were going out of town, we didn't give her any eggs for about 2 weeks. However, after that, we gave her a clutch, and she hatched them and has been raising the chicks for 6 weeks. Today she laid her first egg since going broody.

Our problem is with the other BO. In the past 8 weeks, she has laid only 5 eggs. The last egg, about 2 weeks ago, was very long and narrow. She eats layer feed, and free ranges for about 2 hours a day, along with the other hens. Her comb and wattles are nice and red, and she looks and acts very healthy. There are no signs of molting. Given the shape of her last egg, is it likely she has an internal problem? I've read the Orpingtons have strong mothering instincts. Could her hormones be thrown off by the presence of the chicks? Any suggestions?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Could she be hiding eggs?

 

[GallusSapiens]

No, she could not be hiding eggs. The run and coop are not big, and we have searched them many times. We were out of town for over a week and they did not even free range during that time (which they normally do in the evening just before bed time anyway.) There is no place for her to hide them.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Do you feed a lot of treats/scratch?
Any respiratory issues?
How's the ventilation where they were housed while you were gone?
I know they don't sound related but respiratory problems can also lead to oviduct issues.

 

[GallusSapiens]

The hens split about a cup of scratch and some organic baby spinach each morning. As mentioned, they free range for about 90 minutes in the evening and eat clover, grass and bugs (although when the ground is dry, they spend most of that time taking a dust bath.)

Ventilation is great. They spend all day in the run which is fenced with welded wire on all sides, and the coop has a cross breeze (open windows on opposite sides.) There are no respiratory issues. All appearances and behviors are of excellent health.

Living conditions and diet same as others which are laying like champs. In fact, I would say she's in better condition than the mama hen (who still has a limp comb from not eating while she was setting, and has a better diet as she has been eating starter feed with the chicks) who has unexpectedly started laying already!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Congrats on the ventilation.
The reason I mentioned scratch is they can get too fat to lay well.
She could just be a malingerer. Some birds just don't lay well. Very common

 

[GallusSapiens]

Thanks. Do you think the fact that her last egg was oddly shaped is of any concern? I also forgot to mention that she sat in the nesting box many times without laying before laying that last egg. She acted like she wanted to lay, but nothing happened. Since then, I have not noticed her acting like she wanted to lay.

 

[GallusSapiens]

I have a little update. I've noticed now that this hen is losing feathers. When she takes a dust bath, she leaves a bunch of feathers behind. Yesterday I found one of her wing or tail feathers. She does not "look" like she is molting - she still looks and acts very healthy. If anyone is still following this thread, I'd value some additional input.