EE not laying again!

[kodiakchicken]

Hi all. Long time, no post - sorry about that. Things are crazy around here.

My question is about my EE. Shortly after Christmas (after the coop blew over and then we righted it) my EE stopped laying. It's easy to tell when she stops because she's the only EE. At the time I just figured she was molting, they were born in late March/early April last year, and I had noticed a few feathers on her neck falling out.

Well, here we are, less that two months later, and she's stopped laying again! I've looked high and low to see if she's hiding her eggs, because I had found a box that she and another had layed about a dozen eggs in and they froze. I can't find any hiding place though. And there have been a couple days when I've kept them in the coop all day due to weather.

Does anyone have any idea why she isn't laying? She's healthy and out eating and exploring every day.

On the flip side, my beautiful Buff Orp has lost all the feathers on her neck (she kind of looks like a big naked neck) but is still laying eggs. I don't think she's being feather picked because there is no blood and I haven't seen any of the other picking at her, so could she be molting but still laying?

Crazy birds!!!

 

[lavandula girl]

Maybe the first time she stopped laying was because of the trauma of the coop blowing over, and then this time is due to a late molt? Or short days, still?

 

[kodiakchicken]

Quote:
I had wondered how much the weather and the short days (they have a light on in the coop) would affect their egg laying. They've been real troopers with everything they've been through this year, even trying to lay in the nest box while the coop was on it's side!

It's been a fairly cold winter for this area and other than the white light (not heat lamp) they haven't had any additional heat. The ducks quit laying as soon as the days got short - the slackers - but the chickens have done fairly well, although not as conisistent as during the summer.

When we first noticed that Ladyhawk (the EE) wasn't laying again my husband also noticed she hadn't been off the roost most of the day. We brought her in the house to watch her and check to see if she was egg bound. After palpatating her and not feeling eggs I just let her sit for awhile (on the back of the dining room chair - quite a sight!). After about 10 minutes she got up and strutted around the house checking everything out. We figured that was a good sign so we put her back in the coop and she's been fine since. I think she was just really cold.

I guess I'll just keep watching and see what happens.

Thanks!

 

[ConnorMayasMom]

My EE stopped laying recently, she is molting, hoping that is the only reason!!

 

[AnnesChicks]

First I have to compliment you on your pooch! What a lovely Boston face! I don't know why they just make me laugh, every day!

Secondly, my guess since she is eating well and acting okay that she is entering her moult, all eight of mine are in various stage of their first full moult, pitiful sight to see. It seemed to coincide with the shorter darker days.

Our egg production has gone way down, even a couple days with zip - my son and his wife have been cut off from their access to free eggs until further notice. I "gasp" had to buy eggs for the first time since May....I suppose it had to happen sometime.

 

[briteday]

Our weather isn't all that cold, just shorter days. And our 5 EE's give us about one egg every 3-4 days...total...ONE green egg every 3-4 days! DD wants to re-home them if they are going to be freeloaders, not worth the RARE unique green eggs.