are d'uccles poor layers?

[Joliet]

My 8-10 mth old d'uccle has stopped laying and out of my 3 recently purchased 1 1/2 yr olds only 1 has layed 2 eggs in about 3wks. Are d'uccles just poor layers in general? I feed layer pellet and oyster shell and allow them to free range till bed time. I put the apple cider vinegar in their water and dusted them and their home with diatomaceous earth. I've even tried the dried crushed jalapenos....the two eggs I got were in the two consecutive days after this but nothing since. My easter egger lives right along with them and faithfully delivers an egg a day like clockwork.

 

[PurplePoppiPpl]

My D' Uccle, Yolko, lays fine in the summer usually at least 5 a week, sometimes slows down in the winter. Also the stress of moving them can throw them off i've had a little cochin bantam for almost a month and she hasnt given me one egg. Other wise is it possible they are older then you think they are?

 

[Joliet]

The one that i was told was less than a year layed every day for a little over a week then completely stopped. It is possible they are older. I was just going by the ages I was told they were when I purchased them. I posted pics of the mille fleur roo and hen I bought that I was told were less than a year and the people on here seemed to agree with that age but I guess it is pretty hard to tell by looking at them. She stopped laying when I started allowing them to roam all over the yard during the day. I've looked everywhere for a secret nest but have found nothing. The post with the pic is titled d'uccles but how old...if you think you may be able to tell by the pic. Maybe she was stressed due to my new additions? I added the three year and a halfers about three weeks ago and an additional two last week.

 

[PurplePoppiPpl]

mine haven't been laying for a while because i added a few more chickens, they aren't in their normal coop, and they finished molting a while ago. So there can be many reasons especially if you just introduced them to your flock this month. you could try isolating them in a small pen for a few days in case they are laying someplace else.

 

[Joliet]

Thanks. Its good to know poor laying isn't due to the breed. I absolutely love these little birds. Im going to send my daughter on an egg hunt just in case I'm overlooking a hiding spot too.