I've hatched and raised out chicks for a few years, and my daughter and I keep diligent logs of egg-laying for 4-H. We've never had this happen, so I don't know if it falls within normal bounds or we should be concerned:
We have a polish x orpington cross that laid for the first time at 34.5 weeks on 1/7. Her first egg was in a bush because they happened to be out that day. I found it while it was still warm. Her lay dates were 1/7, 1/9, 1/11, 1/14, and 1/15. Of those 5 eggs, three were laid in bushes -- two I found still warm, the third I found under a fresh egg right after she laid it. The other two were in the nest box. Everyone else has happily taken to the nest boxes. Because of her propensity for bush-laying, I've kept her in the run since 1/15. She hasn't laid another egg. I've checked under the coop, in any possible hiding places, and there are definitely no new eggs from her. Everyone who has already started laying has continued at a rate of once a day or every other day.
So, is it normal for a newly-laying pullet to just stop for a week or more right after starting up? Should I be worried about her? She doesn't seem ill at all.
We have a polish x orpington cross that laid for the first time at 34.5 weeks on 1/7. Her first egg was in a bush because they happened to be out that day. I found it while it was still warm. Her lay dates were 1/7, 1/9, 1/11, 1/14, and 1/15. Of those 5 eggs, three were laid in bushes -- two I found still warm, the third I found under a fresh egg right after she laid it. The other two were in the nest box. Everyone else has happily taken to the nest boxes. Because of her propensity for bush-laying, I've kept her in the run since 1/15. She hasn't laid another egg. I've checked under the coop, in any possible hiding places, and there are definitely no new eggs from her. Everyone who has already started laying has continued at a rate of once a day or every other day.
So, is it normal for a newly-laying pullet to just stop for a week or more right after starting up? Should I be worried about her? She doesn't seem ill at all.
