Can a hen "run out" of eggs?!

[Aimless Farmer]

I posted this previously, but still I am stumped. My EE hasn't layed an egg since 2/2/08. I'm absolutely sure of it. She appears healthy and normal in every other way. She turned 1 year old mid-April. She was my best layer previously. She layed my largest turquoise eggs. Can a chicken just run out of eggs?

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Is she molting? How old is she?

 

[silkiechicken]

I'm not sure if a hen can run out of eggs per se, but she could easily just stop laying for many reasons. Not sure about birds, but female mammals are born with every egg they will ever have. Hormones naturally prevent all eggs from being "used" per se.

 

[BlackSilkey]

She could the yolk is on a cord inside her and finshes the white and shell befor it comes out once the cord is empty thats it no more eggs. But thats my opion but the cord thing is true.

 

[peruvian_princess]

Arent they like turkeys? DOnt their little pelvic bones fuse once they stop laying? I dont know I saw that a couple of weeks ago on dirty jobs when mike was at the turkey farm artificially insemenating turkeys. Any truth to that?

 

[3peeps]

Mine have been laying very sporadically, and I suspect a few things. Molting and stress from having a member of the flock being broody with chicks are the two most likely. One hen has feigned broodiness off and on since seeing the chicks. Our weather has been really strange, but I'm not sure that would affect it.

 

[BlackSilkey]

Well small animals have to have a litter befor they are one or the pelvic bone fuses and they wont go through.