We have two Easter Eggers, two years old, which haven't layed eggs for a long time. At least a month or two. I know they aren't the most reliable layers, but we were getting one Easter Egg every few days through the spring.
They act normal, eat healthy and are as friendly as ever.
Plenty of oyster shells available to supplment their diet.
No undue stress, no changes in diet, no new hens added to the flock.
Certainly not overcrowded. We have 8 hens total and a good sized coop and yard.
Pecking order has not changed - they are right there in the middle of the pack.
They squat when you approach them, as the layers tend to do.
We do not have egg eaters in our flock. We check and remove eggs regularly. Never any indication of damaged eggs.
We have looked under the coop, in all corners of the yard and there are no hidden spots where they are laying.
We also watch where they lie down and check out those dirt nests. (They always used to lay eggs in the coop with the others - no reason why they would change).
It has not been an unusually hot summer, by any means. I know that can affect production.
They molted in the winter and are showing no indications of molting now.
It's quite possible one did not begin to lay after the molt. It was quite some time after the rest of the flock began laying before we saw any Easter Eggs - and then it was only one or two a week at the most.
Seems very strange that neither is laying. Far too young for them to stop laying altogether. I don't think they have started laying brown eggs. I don't even see pale brown that could possibly be an Easter Egg.
We are perplexed at these cute, but freeloading hens. Our others are orphingtons and barred rocks and fairly reliable. But our two Easter Eggers are just not pulling their weight.
Any ideas? Will hugging them harder squeeze out eggs?
Thanks!
The Macs in Massachusetts
They act normal, eat healthy and are as friendly as ever.
Plenty of oyster shells available to supplment their diet.
No undue stress, no changes in diet, no new hens added to the flock.
Certainly not overcrowded. We have 8 hens total and a good sized coop and yard.
Pecking order has not changed - they are right there in the middle of the pack.
They squat when you approach them, as the layers tend to do.
We do not have egg eaters in our flock. We check and remove eggs regularly. Never any indication of damaged eggs.
We have looked under the coop, in all corners of the yard and there are no hidden spots where they are laying.
We also watch where they lie down and check out those dirt nests. (They always used to lay eggs in the coop with the others - no reason why they would change).
It has not been an unusually hot summer, by any means. I know that can affect production.
They molted in the winter and are showing no indications of molting now.
It's quite possible one did not begin to lay after the molt. It was quite some time after the rest of the flock began laying before we saw any Easter Eggs - and then it was only one or two a week at the most.
Seems very strange that neither is laying. Far too young for them to stop laying altogether. I don't think they have started laying brown eggs. I don't even see pale brown that could possibly be an Easter Egg.
We are perplexed at these cute, but freeloading hens. Our others are orphingtons and barred rocks and fairly reliable. But our two Easter Eggers are just not pulling their weight.
Any ideas? Will hugging them harder squeeze out eggs?
Thanks!
The Macs in Massachusetts
