hen hasn't laid an egg in more than 3 months

[ORChick]

I don't know if this is a problem or not. I'm actually OK with letting nature take it's course. But one of my 5 hens hasn't laid an egg (that I know of) since a week before Christmas, so I thought I would bring it here, to the experts. Some background:

- She is a silver spangled Hamburg
- She was 1 year old at the end of February
- She had been laying since the middle of July last year, but was never a spectacular layer
- The other 4 hens (same age) (2 NHRs and 2 EEs) all took little "holidays" over the winter, from about 10 days to a month, but are all back on track now, keeping my "magic" egg carton full
- Most days they are all allowed to free range from about 11:30 'till late in the afternoon. The other girls come back to the nests in the coop when they feel the "urge"
- the Hamburg has always been the most independent of all of them.

So, maybe she has a stash of eggs under the rhododendrons somewhere - if any of them were inclined to do that it would be her - but they are not let out every day, just most days, and I have found nothing from her in the nests for more than 3 months. She appears healthy, running about, dustbathing, eating well (she caught a snake yesterday!) She seemed to be going through a mini-moult in December, but that seems to be over now. As I said, I don't have any problem letting nature do its thing, but is it something to worry about when they don't lay for such a long time? These are my first chickens, and, while I am not *really* worried, any advice you can give me would be welcome. Thanks in advance.

 

[Up-the-Creek]

Maybe she is just taking a longer vacation?

 

[chilling in muscadine]

I have a couple of game hens that after they molt they do not lay again for several months. Now when they do lay they are laying machines and hatchers. Sounds to me like a longer vacation too. Maybe you will get some eggs from her soon. It also could be she has a nest she is laying in while free ranging. Those hens are pretty good at hiding there nest. Good luck!

 

[Delta2 23]

perhaps it is the moult.

 

[hb]

My two girls had their first hard moult in early Sept. and just started up egg laying a few weeks ago. 6 months with no eggs. I was getting worried, too.

 

[ORChick]

Apparently just putting it out there on the web is all that's needed

. This afternoon she sang her song about wanting to lay an egg, and paced all around the run and the coop clucking to herself until one of the other hens vacated the nest (the other nest obviously wouldn't do

), and then hopped in, and settled down. Some while later I heard the proudest "I laid an egg!" song, and there in the nest was a lovely little white egg! Such a good girl - all she needed was time - and a BYC-wide notice!

 

[hb]

Yessss! I bet it's going to be a great tasting egg, too!

 

[ORChick]

hb, where in the Bay Area are you? DH and I lived in Sunnyvale for 20 years before retiring and moving to Oregon. Don't miss the traffic

but wouldn't mind having the climate again.

 

[jonesgirl]

I had 4 that didn't lay for 3 months.. this is normal?

 

[ORChick]

Quote:
I've no idea if it is normal, but I can - now - say that apparently for my girl it was. She seemed perfectly normal throughout, just wasn't laying; but today she decided to give me an egg, and I hope now that the dam has burst, and she will be back to normal. We'll see.