Hen layed 5 eggs... then stopped...

[KellyGwen]

She laid her first egg about 10 days ago... then an egg a day for 5 days... now for the past 5-6 days she hasn't laid any... Is this something I should worry about or is this just a young hen getting into a rhythm? She's acting normally, isn't broody, is eating, stools are normal...

Thanks!!!

 

[KellyGwen]

Sorry to bump this... but She didn't lay this morning either... Do you think something is wrong???

Thanks...

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
WHAT kind and how old ?


Probably just startign the laying pattern . I heard they can lay 1 egg and then NOTHING more for weeks , then they start up again . DID you start her on laying pellets ?

 

[KellyGwen]

Thanks for replying!!

She's a 7-ish month old bantam Sultan hen. I got just got her from a breeder about 2 months ago so I'm not positive on her age... I do know she was born in the fall last year... As soon as I found her first egg I ran to the feed mill and got some layer pellets for her... so she has been on the right feed. She also has free choice oyster shell.

So it is normal? She is acting like herself... I just wanted to make sure that there wasn't something wrong....

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
She is beautiful

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Have you checked around to make sure she doesn't have a hidden nest somewhere? She is a very pretty girl.

 

[KellyGwen]

Quote:
Thanks

I think she is pretty too

I know she doesn't have a hidden nest because she is in a small run by herself (with her own little house). She is the oldest chicken I have... My others are 6 and 3 weeks old and have the large run and coop to grow in. She is very bossy and likes to pick on them... So that's why I built her her own "condo" inside the bigger (very secure) run. She's going to stay there for a while... until the others get big enough to boss her around a little

Believe it or not... that picture of her was taken inside my run... before the chicks got here and ate most of the grass

 

[JennsPeeps]

Do chickens stop laying when it's really hot? I live in WA State where it's rarely over 80 (except this weekend with 90+... eek!).

Maybe the weather is too hot for your girl?

 

[KellyGwen]

It hasn't been that hot here...

I found an egg in her little house this morning... smashed... She has smashed a lot of the few she has laid... I think I need a redesign on the entrance to her house... she tends to LEAP into it and she hasn't caught on to the whole nest box thing yet... So she's been landing on her eggs... I don't want her to learn how good they taste! It looks like she isn't eating the broken eggs since there is still a lot of yolk mixed into the bedding and the shell is smooshed, not pecked...

*sigh*

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
What are you using for nesting boxes ?
Are they off the floor of the coop ? IF NOT try attaching the nest boxes about 18 inches off he floor . THATS OUR next project . BUT SO FAR , working ok . BUT they do need to be OFF THE FLOOR .

I have all one side of my inside coop lined with Black deep milk crates and I put pine shavings inside . about 1/4 to 1/2 is filled with pin shavings .... they are NOW all laying in same nesting box . I have only 3 laying right now , BUT I never move the eggs out until late afternoon and I have never found any broken eggs . the opposite side of the coop is where hubby built them a ladder type ROOSTING AREA . NO POOP in nesting boxes .... TEST of coop is covered with pine shavings . Natually they poop while roosting and lands on the pine shavings beneath . NO FLIES , NO SMELL ... So , I guess for just starting with chickens a few months back , LOOKS like its working pretty well so far.

:aww