- Oct 2, 2009
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I have three hens, two EEs and a BA, along with an EE rooster. They were hatched out the first of March, so they're all seven months old now. All three of my hens started laying about two months ago. It was really easy to tell that it was all of them, as one EE lays a lovely pale green egg, one lays a creamy pinky-brown egg, and the BA laid tiny little dark brown eggs.
Well, fast forward a month. The EEs are starting to lay larger and larger eggs. They went from tiny pullet eggs to actually filling up the large egg carton slots. The BA hen, while she's bossy and pushy and has a flaming red comb and wattles, has stopped laying entirely.
I haven't found any broken eggshells in their pen. They have free-choice oystershell grit and are fed a complete layer ration, also free choice. They get scratch tossed out to them when it's cool outside. Various kitchen scraps when available. They have a cat litter tray that we use for a nesting box, tucked up on one of the shelves in their coop. It's got a nice layer of shavings in it and a fake egg that I got from Hobby lobby. The other girls use it daily, but there are two other boxes nearby also filled with shavings, in case crowding is an issue.
I'm getting very frustrated with this hen. If she'd stopped laying after the dog killed the other BA hens, that would be one thing, but she continued to lay for a couple weeks after that. Her plumage is lovely and perfect, so I don't think the roo is bothering her too much. He seems to prefer the red EE hen anyway. Or making escape attempts.
Mohawk the BA is going to be rehomed or made into stew if she doesn't produce SOMETHING soon. Is there any reason a young hen would just stop producing eggs? She's not moulting, she looks gorgeous, she's just . . . epic fail at egg laying.
Well, fast forward a month. The EEs are starting to lay larger and larger eggs. They went from tiny pullet eggs to actually filling up the large egg carton slots. The BA hen, while she's bossy and pushy and has a flaming red comb and wattles, has stopped laying entirely.
I haven't found any broken eggshells in their pen. They have free-choice oystershell grit and are fed a complete layer ration, also free choice. They get scratch tossed out to them when it's cool outside. Various kitchen scraps when available. They have a cat litter tray that we use for a nesting box, tucked up on one of the shelves in their coop. It's got a nice layer of shavings in it and a fake egg that I got from Hobby lobby. The other girls use it daily, but there are two other boxes nearby also filled with shavings, in case crowding is an issue.
I'm getting very frustrated with this hen. If she'd stopped laying after the dog killed the other BA hens, that would be one thing, but she continued to lay for a couple weeks after that. Her plumage is lovely and perfect, so I don't think the roo is bothering her too much. He seems to prefer the red EE hen anyway. Or making escape attempts.
Mohawk the BA is going to be rehomed or made into stew if she doesn't produce SOMETHING soon. Is there any reason a young hen would just stop producing eggs? She's not moulting, she looks gorgeous, she's just . . . epic fail at egg laying.
