Leghorn stopped laying!

[Rose_coop]

Hi! I have a 7 month old leghorn who has been laying almost daily for almost 2 months. Last week she stopped laying randomly. The days are longer and warmer, so I would think she'd be laying more. We can't find anywhere she is hiding them, and all of our other eggs are coming in regularly so I'm not sure she is eating them. We have 2 other leghorns who are about 23 weeks old now and should be laying soon, but haven't yet. I have been watching everyone closely to see if they're sick or egg bound and everyone looks healthy, eating normally, definitely not broody, and active. Do hens just stop laying randomly? Is she waiting for the other two to start laying? How long does this last until I worry?

 

[nuthatched]

As long as she's acting normal, she could be molting.
What's their diet?

 

[Rose_coop]

As long as she's acting normal, she could be molting.
What's their diet?

We feed a dumor 20% protein feed and supplement with oyster shells. I haven't noticed any balding spots on her or excess feathers around. I think I also thought they didn't molt until 18 months and she isn't a year yet.

 

[nuthatched]

We feed a dumor 20% protein feed and supplement with oyster shells. I haven't noticed any balding spots on her or excess feathers around. I think I also thought they didn't molt until 18 months and she isn't a year yet.

They soft molt many times before their first 'hard molt', usually around 7-9 months

 

[Rose_coop]

They soft molt many times before their first 'hard molt', usually around 7-9 months

Oh I didn't realize that! Do they stop laying long when that happens? It's already been a week. At first I thought she was egg bound, but she seems perfectly fine.

 

[nuthatched]

Oh I didn't realize that! Do they stop laying long when that happens? It's already been a week. At first I thought she was egg bound, but she seems perfectly fine.

Yep, they stop laying, molting takes a lot or resources.

 

[Rose_coop]

 

[Rose_coop]

Picture above of what she looks like now. In a soft molt is it unnoticeable if she is losing feathers? This was taken today 1 week into not laying.

 

[nuthatched]

Picture above of what she looks like now. In a soft molt is it unnoticeable if she is losing feathers? This was taken today 1 week into not laying.

Soft molt is very gradual, hard molt is when you have half nekkid birds running around. She could just be having a break.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

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Rose! Thats a beautiful little gal! She looks super healthy and I wouldnt get nervous. You'll know if something is wrong b/c their behavior will tell you. I am far from an expert, but what i do know, is when my gals stopped laying for 5 months, i was nervous, but they looked so healthy. I assumed maybe they were done laying forever. They were only a yr and a half old. I threw the towel in already planning for my next chicks. Welp, come January and they ALL started laying again! Amazing. Now a days i only get nervous if I notice a chicken's behaviors appearing 'off'. (They do appear 'off' while molting too). Good luck!