Are Easter Egger's poor layers?

[Jajika]

Hi all:

I've gotten really great advice here, but I have more questions.

Several folks have identified what I thought was an Americana or Auracauna, which I understand is a common mistake. Folks have said she is definitly an Easter Egger which is fine. She is pretty and sweet. I just want to be sure she is OK.

See Edwina below

She has tufts on her cheeks and a pea comb. She does have a tail, such as it is. Her collaring is grey and orange. Her eggs are more green than blue and the shells are very hard.

[he was laying regularly for a while, then went through a mild molt. My chickens live out in a yard, have two coops but prefer to sleep in the trees. They are totally protected with wire top and sides. No day time or nocturnal predator problems for two years since I got those night time blinking red lights.

She was a good layer for a while, got through her molt, but is still not laying.

Not sure if it is because she is at the bottom rank of all the other chickens. She is very skittish, many of the others chase her away from the food and treat dishes. She does eat and drink after all the others. I check to be sure. She gets definitely gets her share , but in the mornring they really give her grief. When I'm around I run interference.

I have three feeding stations and two big water feeders, so there is spreading around. She appears healthy in every way, but no more eggs?

I read the article on the board that is posted and goes through all the reasons. What got out of it was that it could be stress but due to eating and drinking problems not relationship issues.

No eggs more months. I investigated the entire area behind and under bushes as we all know some chickens find hiding places for the eggs from the play they all seem to lay.

So what gives? Can anyone one give me some insight into what is going on her?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

If I had to guess, I'd say that she is scared to go inside the nest boxes because of her status in the pecking order. The stress of it all might stop her from laying. Any stress can stop their laying.

The other things to rule out of course are worms and mites. Any problems with other hens losing weight, diarrhea (not referring to the normal caecal poos that occur every 8th poo that are liquid, but REAL diarrhea)?

Any hens shaking their heads or do you feel itchy going out to care for the chickens? You might inspect around the vent area to check for mites.

 

[LaurelRidgeDreams]

How old is she?

 

[7L Farm]

My first thoughts were how do you know that she's not laying. I mean I have ten hens & don't get 10 eggs everyday but for the life of me I could not tell you which one is not laying.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Easter Eggers can be all over the map in terms of laying ability. Not being a breed, but simply a chicken that happens to possess the blue-egg gene they can be great or they may be awful. I've got one that is a very regular faithful layer and had one that laid all of two eggs in a year.

It's because of this variability that I'm going to work on a production Easter Egger by putting some White Leghorn and ISA Brown cock birds over my EE hens this winter. I sell eggs and try to include at least one blue/green egg in every dozen and I'm tired of having to keep a larger flock of EE than I do anything else just to be sure I've got what I need.

 

[sourland]

A.T. Hagan :

Easter Eggers can be all over the map in terms of laying ability. Not being a breed, but simply a chicken that happens to possess the blue-egg gene they can be great or they may be awful. I've got one that is a very regular faithful layer and had one that laid all of two eggs in a year.

It's because of this variability that I'm going to work on a production Easter Egger by putting some White Leghorn and ISA Brown cock birds over my EE hens this winter. I sell eggs and try to include at least one blue/green egg in every dozen and I'm tired of having to keep a larger flock of EE than I do anything else just to be sure I've got what I need.

Once again ATHagan hits the nail on the head. EE have not been selected for prolific egg production; therefore, rate of egg laying is all over the spectrum.​

 

[Cattitude]

I have an EE (Silkie-X-Ameraucana) who has laid 6-7 eggs per week since last fall. Other hens in her same clutch average 4-6 eggs per week, except during molt. An EE (BO-X-Ameraucana) that I sent down to the farm is also a dependable layer of light olive eggs, she averages 6-7 per week as well. I'm not sure it even depends on the parent stock; Silkies aren't known as regular egglayers. I've found that the rate of lay for EEs can definitely be all over the board.

 

[Ole rooster]

The EE I have is giving me 4 eggs a week. She's an every other day kinda girl. When I first got her she was a flighty as the hatchery red. Now she's turned into a sweet calm girl. When time comes she walks up the ladder, does her thing and out to feed with the rest. Never makes a sound. Matter of fact none of them are singers. Kinda miss that. Still her eggs and the GLW are the largest eggs I get so far. Like I've said before, my BO's are going to be old maids. No eggs and no children. But they may be stressed. They're on the bottom of the pecking pole.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
Once again ATHagan hits the nail on the head. EE have not been selected for prolific egg production; therefore, rate of egg laying is all over the spectrum.

I always enjoy ATHagan's posts. He is always informative.

 

[so lucky]

Do her muffs limit her vision? If so, that might help explain her skittishness and bottom ranking. I have to scissor trim my two
EEs' side muffs, because they really have poor periphial vision otherwise.