Is my Polish barren?

[TurnerFlock]

We have a Polish that is a little over a year old. She layed just as we expected for many months. It has now been 3-4 months without an egg from her. She definitely moulted but now looks back to normal and has for a while. She acts perfectly healthy. We have a Buff Orp that is the same age that lays almost everyday. Same food, same yard, same coop. Is it possible that she's barren?

 

[minihorse927]

This time of year the daylight hours are too short for some hens to lay. Also since you say in the yard is she free-ranging and laying them in your yard hidden somewhere?

 

[TurnerFlock]

She hasn't layed all summer. When we switch clocks forward, I put a light in the coop. I ruled out bugs or illness since the other chicken is perfectly fine. We have had others. All of which layed just fine as well. We had another Polish as well that had a heart attack and the remaining Polish hasn't layed consistently since then, and then just stopped. We have searched the yard thoroughly and haven't found a secret nest.

 

[minihorse927]

What are you feeding them?

 

[TurnerFlock]

She has been on layer feed. Now she is on starter crumbles because we have some new little ones. She gets oyster shell in a different bowl.

 

[minihorse927]

Turn her over and look at her vent. Is it moist and wide or is it narrow and dry?

 

[TurnerFlock]

I'll check her tonight and check back in the morning.

 

[minihorse927]

That was supposed to be wide, not why. Sorry. Phone doesn't like chicken terminology and tries to restructure a lot of what I say.