Have you ever had a chicken stop laying permanently?

[Mr Spot]

I have a Cream Legbar that stopped laying early last fall, she was probably about 10 months old. She went thru fowl pox and then molted and hasn't laid a single egg since, all the rest of my hens are laying good except for her.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Im so glad I found this thread as I was about to create one regarding this issue. I have 2 Blue Copper Maran girls I purchased 2 years ago. They were both EXCELLENT layers! my best actually! They started to lay at the normal age (6-9 month? whenever Spring was around that age timeframe) and they laid for a full year! Big beautiful chocolate eggs. Then autumn came and they started to moult and they did the normal stop-laying thing as all my girls do. I live in upstate NY and it gets dark enough in winter that my girls end laying for the year in Nov around moult time and then start again each year in mid/late Feb depending on age. Anyways- on the 2nd year, my 2 marans laid for about 2 weeks and then BOOM, Nuthin!!! I figured they were going to go broody, as I reckon it was early Spring (like March/April maybe), but they never went broody. Then I thought, maybe they were internally laying, but neither bird fit the signs for that. They are both happy and healthy and eat well, dont walk funny (like some do if they internally lay) They are not bullied etc.... So when the ENTIRE 2nd year went by, I though to myself, maybe after the winter they will lay again this Spring (2023). But NOPE.


My 5 year old Ameraucanas are still laying about 2 sometimes 3 times a week and my 2, 8 year old Ameraucanas throw a very occasional giant blue egg, but the Marans??? NOPE. Nothing so far this year. I had no idea that this could happen and have been so perplexed by it, but apparently after reading these posts, you sometimes just get 'duds' hahaha!! They are sweet girls, and am happy to allow them to freeload, but out of my 7 hens I only have 3 laying and that's my 3, 5 year olds, so they arent very prolific!

The struggle is real!

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

I have a Cream Legbar that stopped laying early last fall, she was probably about 10 months old. She went thru fowl pox and then molted and hasn't laid a single egg since, all the rest of my hens are laying good except for her.

Good luck, thanks for sharing! Sometimes no rhyme or reason. I thought my gals were done laying for good and at a yr and a half old, but they started again fortunately. I do not have room for more chicks yet.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I have a hen I'm hoping doesn't resume laying this year. She's never laid a viable egg and it's only a matter of time before one of her eggs breaks inside and kills her.

 

[tlcmurphy]

I’m happy to report, and more than a little confused, that my Orpington that laid for ~10 months then completely stopped for about a year, has laid 4 eggs in 2 weeks! Not much, but I thought she was done (my girls are all only 2 years old).

 

[TwistedGreta]

OOOOOooooo that gives us some hope then!! As of right now my 3 year old girls have not been laying for an entire year. They stopped at 2 years after laying a couple weeks in the Spring (no less!), and roughly at the same time too! And so for their entire 2nd year they produced no eggs, so am hoping this year (they're 3rd year) they will start again. Great news about your Orpington!

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

I thought my 5 were done too. They were a yr and a half old and they all stopped back in September. During this time, they all molted, and all started laying again in January!! Fortunately, they are laying as well as when they first started. Every other day they all lay. My little egg machines are doin' it! I really thought they were all done laying. I dont know if I'll ever figure this chicken gig out, but I sure am having fun trying.

 

[tlcmurphy]

I thought my 5 were done too. They were a yr and a half old and they all stopped back in September. During this time, they all molted, and all started laying again in January!! Fortunately, they are laying as well as when they first started. Every other day they all lay. My little egg machines are doin' it! I really thought they were all done laying. I dont know if I'll ever figure this chicken gig out, but I sure am having fun trying.

Being new at this, I didn’t realize when folks told me they’ll all stop laying every winter they meant for at least 4 months but my Orpington was out of commission for at least 9-10 months.

 

[TwistedGreta]

I thought my 5 were done too. They were a yr and a half old and they all stopped back in September. During this time, they all molted, and all started laying again in January!! Fortunately, they are laying as well as when they first started. Every other day they all lay. My little egg machines are doin' it! I really thought they were all done laying. I dont know if I'll ever figure this chicken gig out, but I sure am having fun trying.

Yes chickens will stop laying after/during the time they moult, and they stop during the winter months due to lack of sunlight unless you place a light bulb in the coop for artificial lighting. Super normal for this to happen. Mine usually start back up in February. What shouldnt be happening is when they stop laying in the their prime (like ages 1-3) all together. My 2 youngest havent laid for an entire year now and they have no illness and to my knowledge are not internally laying.

Its also super normal (and extremely frustrating) for hens to stop laying in the summer months sometimes if they go "broody". This also can stop egg production for a couple months! Glad your girls are laying for you again!

 

[Mistymamma]

I have a black star that will be 4 in March. About 2 years ago she started molting and stopped laying. I expected her to start again but she never did. It has been about two years. She is seemingly healthy and is actuall the only hen who has never been sick & put in ICU. She just stopped laying. No signs of egg eating. I guess she laid them all early and that's that.

Weird.

Have you tried switching your brand of layer feed?