Day 4 of no egg

[cozycoop1314]

I have an 8 month old Buff Orpington who has been laying for a couple months now. Always very consistent. Has a day off about once a week, lays all other days.

All of a sudden this week she hasn't laid. Her last egg was about 4 days ago, it was a huge egg (probably a double yolker) after a day off. But since then nothing.

She is eating, drinking, pooping, running around, dust bathing, playing, foraging for bugs, etc....all totally normal behaviors! Not broody or hanging in the nesting box. I've felt her abdomin & applied a little pressure, ZERO discomfort, checked her vent, looks good (aside from a lil poop on her fluff...darn buffs & their fluffy butts), even felt the sides of her vent, didn't feel anything like an egg. She had no discomfort when I did this (actually squeezed a little poop out tmi).

So no signs of being egg bound. What's going on? Any thoughts on why she may have stalled in laying?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It could be lots of things. Stress, time of year, etc..
I think it is important for us to remember they aren't egg machines. They're livestock/pets that happen to feed us breakfast.
I have birds that take a long unexplained break from time to time.

 

[cozycoop1314]

It could be lots of things. Stress, time of year, etc..
I think it is important for us to remember they aren't egg machines. They're livestock/pets that happen to feed us breakfast.
I have birds that take a long unexplained break from time to time.

Thank you for the response. My concern wasn't about not getting eggs, but rather about if I should be doing more/her health as I've seen horror stories about a chicken being eggbound & dying.

I just wanted to see if it was normal & if she's acting all great otherwise, if it's not something to worry about. My concern is solely on keeping my girls healthy & happy...they're my babies & even if they never laid, I'd still love those little freeloaders

But thank you. Seems like you're saying it happens occasionally and not to worry.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Right.
I think if it was egg binding you would notice something not right with her. I've had 2 egg bound hens over the years. It was obvious and lost them both.

 

[cozycoop1314]

Right.
I think if it was egg binding you would notice something not right with her. I've had 2 egg bound hens over the years. It was obvious and lost them both.

Thank you! I felt like I'd notice something if that was the issue but I've never been through it so of course I'm like the worried chicken mama

 

[MillersFarm]

Thank you! I felt like I'd notice something if that was the issue but I've never been through it so of course I'm like the worried chicken mama

If shes just started laying shes mostly on a lil' break. I've had chickens that would lay every other three or two or even 5 days.. These were new layers of course, We also had a SLW who had laid her first egg. Then took about three weeks (With laying any eggs) to start laying daily! So your chicken sounds perfectly normal..