Chicken still isn't laying

[UkuleleLady]

at least I don't think she is. I suppose it's possible that some of the eggs I'm getting are hers but I don't think so as my other chicken is pretty much an egg a day layer and I never get more than one in a day. I got this chicken at the beginning of October and at that time the woman I got her from said she should be laying in a few weeks. It's been months and still no eggs. Do some chickens just not lay? Here's a pic of her

 

[pdirt]

If you're in the northern hemisphere, then it is very normal that your chicken isn't laying yet. Many birds stop laying in the fall due to the shorter days and won't start again until the days get longer. If they are young enough that they haven't started then they may not start until the following spring. If she isn't laying by June, I would be concerned, but otherwise, it sounds like normal behavior.

 

[UkuleleLady]

Guess I am technically in the northern hemisphere. I live in the San Francisco Bay area which is in Northern California. Thank you for your response. She looks good she seems happy. She doesn't eat or poop as much as the other chicken who lays an egg every day.

 

[sweetbeak]

I wouldn't worry, i have several chickens and I live in Australia who haven't laid in weeka. No idea why, only thing I did was extend their sleeping quarters which apparently upsets them. 12 hens and two eggs a day at the moment. Even though I'm in Australia I live in the high countty and it is fairly xold, but still a mystery to me. Hang in there.

 

[pdirt]

If you look at the forums "Chicken Behavior & Egglaying", "Managing Your Flock" and "Feeding & Watering your Flock", you will find that quite a number of the recent posts are titled something to the effect, "Why are my chickens not laying?". Lots of people are experiencing it right now. The main reason is the short days (the shortest day of the year was just about a week ago in the northern hemisphere). By as @sweetbeak pointed point, other stresses can cause it. Actually, extending a coop size could be a major stress to many chickens. The noise of extending it along with the fact that their home no longer feels the same. It may feel better to the owner, but not likely to the chickens, at least not right away. Though they will get used to it fairly quickly. "Getting used to it fairly quickly," doesn't necessarily mean they will start laying again soon, though. These chickens can be finicky!

There are a LOT of reasons why a chicken might stop laying eggs. Darker days is #1 reason. Stress is #2. What defines "stress" can be highly individual, not necessarily defined by breed, though it can be. Some birds will stop laying if you switch their food, others won't. Some will stop laying during the dark days of winter, others will simply slow down.