Faverolle has Stopped Laying?

[kaitlyn_2001]

Hello, my 2 y/o Faverolle, Jonesy, has stopped laying recently.
She hasn't given me an egg in about 2 weeks. I am very concerned about this as she has never stopped laying before, she usually gives me an egg every 2-3 days, (this is because Faverolles aren't very strong layers in the first place), but now she has stopped, in the last week she has gone to the nesting box twice to go to lay, she spends about two hours-ish in there, but never lays. I have also ran her a bath to treat egg binding, this also did not work.
I recently lost a chicken to Egg Peritonitis and I would not like anything similar to happen to my beloved Jonesy. All help is appreciated,
- Kaitlyn.

 

[wamtazlady]

I think she might be having a late molt. She should have stopped laying and molted in the late fall. Normally 18 month old chickens have their first big molt. If she didn't then she might be doing that now. Chickens don't lay when they are molting.

 

[Abriana]

I agree. She doesn’t sound sick. Probably molting. I wouldn’t stress about it but I would watch her just as a precaution but I really think it’s nothing serious.

 

[kaitlyn_2001]

At the moment it is Summer in Australia. So I am pretty sure she is not in a late Autumnal moult.

 

[wamtazlady]

Oh goodess. Didn't know you were in Australia. In that case are you having unusually warm weather? Faverolles deal with cold weather more easily than hot weather. I've had my egg production go down in the hottest part of the summer.

 

[kaitlyn_2001]

Past two weeks we have had pretty warm weather, around 30°C to 40°C when it's really hot, (86°F to 104°F). And she has tried to lay in these conditions. My other hens have laid just fine in these temperatures and I always make sure my hens stay cool in these heatwaves. At the moment, the temperature has been pretty cool, usually at around 28°C, (82°F).

 

[crazy rooster34]

heat can cause them to stop laying in my experience when it gets to 95+ for a couple days a few of my hens will take off laying until it cools off, hope that helps

 

[kaitlyn_2001]

The weather is much cooler now and we've had bouts of rain for the past week, I would assume she'd resume laying by now, but as of yet, she has not. At this point I am getting very concerned for her health, not laying for this long must have some sort of adverse effects?

 

[keesmom]

My Faverolles despise the heat and won't lay when it's hot. I don't like the heat either, and I'd melt where you are!

Mine may lay sporadically after a heat wave then molt late summer. Older hens may quit altogether.

 

[kaitlyn_2001]

Thank you everyone for your help! I guess I'll just have to play the waiting game and see what happens. If she lays again I'll update this Thread, if she hasn't laid in another week, should I get concerned?