Bantam Hen and Rooster

[BillM2]

We've never have mated a pair previously and have a pair of 7+ month old Belgium d'Uccles who are inseparable. The hen has been laying on a regular basis for about three months now and apparently hasn't for a couple of weeks. Is this a sign of a fertile hen or might the lack of egg laying be just dark days?

Many thanks!

 

[DanEP]

I'd lean towards dark days. Fertile or not really doesn't effect laying unless she's going broody in which case she would still lay eggs until she had some to sit on or she would sit on eggs from the other girls.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

x2

Not laying is a sign of low hormone not being fertile (in which she needs high hormones to lay eggs).

The shorter days decrease their hormones, as there isn't enough light to stimulate the pituitary gland, hence they stop laying in winter.

If she has gone broody, she would be sitting on a nest, puffed and growly, all day long.

Hens don't lay when they are brooding, and lay sporadically as the hormones shift to brooding. They have a pre-brood phase, then a full brood phase.

Chances are if she does not have signs of brooding, it is simply the dark days and/or she is molting.

LofMc

 

[BillM2]

Thanks everyone! She's not molting nor is broody. It must be the darkness or she's laying somewhere in the yard. How will we know when she's been mated and is fertile?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My d'uccle are sporadic layers as most bantam are, they lay enough for a clutch, than either go broody or they quit for about a month or two, so yours sounds normal.