Isa Brown not laying

[Kymaro]

I have an Isa Brown that is not laying. I am guessing which girl it is, but it's 1 of 4. I am going by watching the other 3 go into the nesting box for about 20 min, then the 4th just go in and out throughout their laying time. I haven’t been able to catch anyone actually laying. Seems when I get to “up in their business” they get shy and no one lays til I go away. Here are the details:


~They are 15 months old and AM layers, they started laying Sept 2017

~No one has done the traditional "molting" (Loss of feathers). During late winter they lost their down feathers for a couple weeks but not the outer feathers. They continued laying eggs during that time.

~We did have a cat attack and it killed 2 other chickens back in April, everyone stopped laying for about a week and from there only 3 resumed.

~They have just over ½ acre to roam (now cat proofed) lots of free range feeding, Layer Feed and water.

~I have gone about keeping everyone in the hutch for most of the day (3ggs) to keeping them in the hutch for several days (3eggs). (I have done this routine on 2 different occasions)

~I have tried letting them out individually before egg laying time but it becomes a panic situation of getting back into the coop to lay or separation anxiety from not being together. (a lot of both I think)

~It’s going on 3 months with only 3 eggs instead of 4.

~Everyone is appears and behaves healthy.


Any suggestion to try or thoughts of any concerns I should worry about?

 

[BCChicky]

Well, it sounds like you have covered all basis here in trying to identify which hen. It could be so many different things. My girls hate me being anywhere near the coop when they are laying. Puts them off completely. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Kymaro]

I was reading other forums about "hens ready to lay". I am wondering....3 of the 4 of my girls have bright red large combs and the 4th is pale and almost appears to be shrinking! (I'll get some pictures) Could she be the one? Is that a symptom of something?

 

[PachecoPeeps]

I was reading other forums about "hens ready to lay". I am wondering....3 of the 4 of my girls have bright red large combs and the 4th is pale and almost appears to be shrinking! (I'll get some pictures) Could she be the one? Is that a symptom of something?

Are you sure it’s the same 3 every day? Most chickens do not lay every day so your chickens may be rotating through each day.

I know there is a way to check their pelvic bones to see who is laying and other people put different color food dyes on their vents to mark the eggs so you may look into that.

 

[Kymaro]

I plan on checking the vents tonight when they are settled in (less stressful for everyone lol). I don't know 100% for sure which chicken it is, or why. I thought, too, of them rotating through each day but odds of only getting 3 eggs every day for 2 months are pretty small. A few days here and there I will only get 2 eggs, but I have NOT gotten more than 3 at a time for 3 months. I'm thinking the pale comb is tattling on the non-layer, now to figure out why?

I know there is a way to check their pelvic bones to see who is laying and other people put different color food dyes on their vents to mark the eggs so you may look into that.

I love the color dye to figure out who is who. I'm going to try that tonight, Thanks

 

[cmom]

Put a game camera in the coop so you can see the nest boxes.

 

[Kymaro]

Put a game camera in the coop so you can see the nest boxes.

Good idea

 

[aart]

I'm thinking the pale comb is tattling on the non-layer, now to figure out why?

Absolutely.
A vent and pelvic point check will confirm this.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

As to why, who knows, could have been the cat attack, or she's sick, or....???
High production hybrids are susceptible to reproductive issues.
When you do the butt cheek feel their abdomens, below vent to between legs, for any swelling.

 

[snow5164]

Are you sure it’s the same 3 every day? Most chickens do not lay every day so your chickens may be rotating through each day.

I love how people give general chicken advise with out looking or knowing the breed. Isa Brown are hybrid birds bred to lay EVERY DAY, til they slow down , and die . Their life span is less then 2 years .

Your girl is starting to be done laying , id highly recommend not buying hybrid birds next time. It is heart breaking watching them still lay eggs at the expense of their own health ,

Other layers , lay eggs every second day or so but they’re much healthier and live and lay for many years .....

 

[Birdsong 82]

You said they are only 15 weeks old? I would do the event and pelvic point check to. It may be she’s not just ready yet. I have two ISA Browns. 21 weeks and haven’t started laying yet. If everything checks out good it may just be she’s not ready yet