Is this chicken a dud?

[mlouski]

This is my second season of chicken "rustling." Started out with 3 birds. One died. Two have carried on, except that one has completely stopped laying eggs...she sits on the nest in the morning for a while (regardless of whether or not the other birds has laid her egg), goes through the motions but nada. She appears healthy and robust. Eats but doesn't "pay her rent." She is not egg bound, obviously or she would be dead long ago. Could she have peaked early and has now turned into a "pet?"

Thanks

 

[calicokat]

how old is she?

Does she stay on the nest all day? That might indicate she's going broody, going to sit on a clutch of eggs until they hatch.

 

[mlouski]

She's not broody...normal behavior in every way...just no egg.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

She may be an internal layer.

 

[goldeneggtees]

one of mine goes into the nest box as well and sits as if she is trying to lay an egg. i found out she was laying soft shelled eggs outside the nest box and when she did this, the other hens knew what was about to happen and they ate the evidence.

do they get extra calcium?

 

[mlouski]

Howling good might have an answer there...she did have some soft shell eggs going for a while....but what is an internal layer?

 

[lottastuff9]

I can't help OP but I also want to know what an internal layer is.

 

[easttxchick]

Poor Speckledhen has posted about internal laying with a few of her hens. Do a search-she, sadly, has had too much experience with this condition.