Is she on strike?

[Hamstermann]

In April we got our first flock. We have a Buff Orpington, a Silver Laced Wyandotte, an Easter Egger, and a golden Sexlink that turned out to actually be brown and white when her feathers came in. The Buff laid the first egg a couple of days ago (Monday) - it had a soft shell and was small - and hasn't laid since. The info I read says they should lay about 5 eggs a week but she doesn't seem to be doing that. Do they start off slow and inconsistent and then become more consistent as they get older? Or should I worry about her health? Can chickens choose whether they lay?

 

[MysteryChicken]

In April we got our first flock. We have a Buff Orpington, a Silver Laced Wyandotte, an Easter Egger, and a golden Sexlink that turned out to actually be brown and white when her feathers came in. The Buff laid the first egg a couple of days ago (Monday) - it had a soft shell and was small - and hasn't laid since. The info I read says they should lay about 5 eggs a week but she doesn't seem to be doing that. Do they start off slow and inconsistent and then become more consistent as they get older? Or should I worry about her health? Can chickens choose whether they lay?

What's their diet?

New layers occasionally lay in funky ways, like going long periods without laying before starting up again. Getting a wonky egg here, & there from new layers is pretty normal too.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

In April we got our first flock. We have a Buff Orpington, a Silver Laced Wyandotte, an Easter Egger, and a golden Sexlink that turned out to actually be brown and white when her feathers came in. The Buff laid the first egg a couple of days ago (Monday) - it had a soft shell and was small - and hasn't laid since. The info I read says they should lay about 5 eggs a week but she doesn't seem to be doing that. Do they start off slow and inconsistent and then become more consistent as they get older? Or should I worry about her health? Can chickens choose whether they lay?

When they first start laying a chicken's reproductive system has kinks that it will work out over the first 1-2 months. During this period eggs might not look pretty and be inconsistent. Just make sure she has access to free choice oyster shell along with her feed.

Edit: You might also run into your chickens finally working out their laying quirks, but then starting to slow back down with egg laying. Many hens start to slow down egg production in the fall because of the number of daylight hours getting shorter. With new fall layers make things tricky.

 

[Hamstermann]

What's their diet?

New layers occasionally lay in funky ways, like going long periods without laying before starting up again. Getting a wonky egg here, & there from new layers is pretty normal too.

We have them on grow-out feed and supplement with kitchen scraps like cabbage. Also give a nice seed mix with mealworms mixed in as a treat and to try to get them to socialize. the kids rip off grass blades and feed those to them through the hardware cloth too.

Thanks for the reassurance on the delays and wonky egg. hopefully they all start laying regularly soon.

 

[MysteryChicken]

We have them on grow-out feed and supplement with kitchen scraps like cabbage. Also give a nice seed mix with mealworms mixed in as a treat and to try to get them to socialize. the kids rip off grass blades and feed those to them through the hardware cloth too.

Thanks for the reassurance on the delays and wonky egg. hopefully they all start laying regularly soon.

I'd reduce the amount of treats(Includes kitchen scraps), it dilutes the nutrients from their staple feed(Makes Fat Birds), & will reduce calcium absorption.

 

[Hamstermann]

I'd reduce the amount of treats(Includes kitchen scraps), it dilutes the nutrients from their staple feed(Makes Fat Birds), & will reduce calcium absorption.

We'll give it a shot. we're also giving crushed baked egg shells occasionally to increase calcium.

 

[MysteryChicken]

We'll give it a shot. we're also giving crushed baked egg shells occasionally to increase calcium.

I'd switch to a container/small feeder of oyster shells. They last longer.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

In April we got our first flock. We have a Buff Orpington, a Silver Laced Wyandotte, an Easter Egger, and a golden Sexlink that turned out to actually be brown and white when her feathers came in. The Buff laid the first egg a couple of days ago (Monday) - it had a soft shell and was small - and hasn't laid since. The info I read says they should lay about 5 eggs a week but she doesn't seem to be doing that. Do they start off slow and inconsistent and then become more consistent as they get older? Or should I worry about her health? Can chickens choose whether they lay?

5 days a week is the average over the course of a year. They don't turn on like switching on a lightbulb. Laying will vary for a while and the eggs will be small for a bit. They almost always start off inconsistently. The more concerning thing is the soft egg.
When things are awry, especially in the egg laying area, it is time to go back to basics.
Chicken feed is formulated to completely meet all the nutritional needs of chickens at the age the feed is made for. Your birds are at point of lay and now need more calcium in balance with potassium. Layer feed can give you that.
I would temporarily eliminate all treats, seeds and anything not feed till things improve.
I would switch to layer feed or at least mix it half and half with your grower till the grower is gone.
Layer averages about 4% calcium while all other chicken feed is about 1%. Layer is for birds laying, birds not laying get something else.

 

[Hamstermann]

Thanks for your reply and advice!

As it turned out, she only skipped one day - she laid the same day I posted, just later. the first egg was laid about 2am and the second (two days later) was laid in the late afternoon and we didn't find it until later. Also the eggs yesterday and Wednesday were thicker shelled than what I'm used to from the store, so the soft shell was probably due to just being her first time. The eggs are getting measurably bigger too so things are moving along as they should now. Wednesday's egg was 32g and Thursdays's was 37g. I'm curious to see what she produces today, if she does.