Hen Hasn't Laid Egg In About A Month

[ByrdFeathers]

have a BLRW that is about 1 1/2 years old. She was laying great but suddenly stopped there were about 10 eggs in the box I was hoping she would go broody but she never seemed to. She just stopped laying altogether seems healthy. It was her and just my Roo in the pen and about 2 weeks ago I put 5 more younger pullets in with them. I would think if it were that it would be worked out in a couple days. Any ideas?

 

[PirateGirl]

I think you answered your own question. You put 5 new birds in there with her. You disrupted the order of things and the routine and it can take time for them to sort it out. I have one in particularly that goes on a laying strike over any change. New food, no eggs. New bird, no eggs. I cleaned the coop, no eggs. Bad weather, no eggs. The list goes on. Sometimes I get an egg 24 hours later, sometimes it's weeks. I have other birds that aren't phased by anything and lay the same no matter what.

 

[ByrdFeathers]

I just got to thinking how most hatcheries do not sell day old or hatching eggs but for a few breeds this time of year so though maybe they just stop laying for a lil while.

 

[BRYAN LYONS]

have a BLRW that is about 1 1/2 years old. She was laying great but suddenly stopped there were about 10 eggs in the box I was hoping she would go broody but she never seemed to. She just stopped laying altogether seems healthy. It was her and just my Roo in the pen and about 2 weeks ago I put 5 more younger pullets in with them. I would think if it were that it would be worked out in a couple days. Any ideas?

Hi, Possibly her uterus has stiffened causing no eggs laying. I don't remember the particulars or other symptoms. I had an old farm vet book that I looked up the condition in. The remedy was to insert one of your fingers into her uterus and very genetly push the walls of her uterus causing the uterus too become more pliable. From what I remember my chicken started laying again shortly after the the procedure was performed. Please look up this symptom on the net before doing anything as this was probably 30 years ago when I had the ordeal, and I can't recall the event entirely. As far as chickens sitting on eggs, I have chickens that will ley clutches of eggs sit on the eggs for several days then let them go and lay another batch and do the same. Wack jobs! There just ain't clue for hen sitting blues. Hope this helped.
CLEAN rubber gloves before trying the procedure and gently as to not hurt anything. I do recall my hen was not laying for several months not just a week or two.
Thanks, Bryan

 

[alexa009]

The list of reasons that caused your hen to stop producing eggs could go on and on. I agree with @PirateGirl since she stopped laying as soon as you introduced the pullets. When I introduced 8 new chicks to a flock of 4 it caused them to quit for a few days then they started back up again. Once she gets used to the new flock and her being in her place of the pecking order gets arranged and stays in place, she should start laying again.

 

[PirateGirl]

However, do be attentive. Keep and eye on her and watch for any other signs of decline in health or anything else. Does she continue to eat, drink, and poop normal? Does she walk normal? Act normal? How is her feather condition? Molting? Parasites? If she seems completely healthy and normal in all other ways, I wouldn't worry too much, but if anything else seems off, perhaps there's something more serious going on.

 

[sourland]

It may be the addition of the pullets, but it is not unusual for a 1.5 year old hen to take a break and molt this time of year.

 

[TwoCrows]

Heat spells will also clamp off the eggs. Long breaks can stem from all the reasons given here and then some. Its hard to pin point why she stopped hopefully she gets back to it soon. A healthy hen will continue to lay frequently, if they go too long I begin to worry about reproductive issue preventing her from laying, which could lead to an early death. I've lost a few in this fashion.