French black copper maran stopped laying

[cmobley]

I have 2 marans and 3 reds and a ee roo. One of my marans was laying first she layed every other day for about 3 weeks and then she just stopped. Then she started trying to set on the reds eggs but still not laying her own i broke her from being broody but still no laying. Whats up with this bird any ideas.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi

Once a hen goes broody she stops laying .The natural cycle is that she will lay a clutch (around 14) and then incubate them and raise them once they hatch. It will take her 5 or more weeks after they hatch before she is back into condition to start laying again. Obviously you have broken the cycle by stopping her from brooding so the time scale will be shorter but it could still take a couple of weeks to come back into lay. If she is more than a year old, she may also start moulting and not come back into lay until after the winter solstice.

Most hatchery chickens have the broodiness bred out of them so many people consider a broody to be a prized hen in their flock. Clearly you are more interested in egg production than chick rearing, so this hen is perhaps not ideal for you but at least you have some reliable egg producers with your reds.

Basically, she will start laying again when she is ready, but she will probably go broody again next year.

 

[cmobley]

Well i do want a broody eventually to get olive eggers from my ee roo and the marans but these hens are only 5 and 6 months old and just started laying i like a older hen to do the setting. I guess I'll just have to wait her out lol.