long term lack of eggs

[estgus12]

I have 4 Isa brown chickens, 2 are 4 months and not yet laying, 1 is about 7 months and laying beautifully. My problem is our "old" lady. She is about a year old or a little more and has never really laid many eggs. She laid a few shelless ones when she was around 7 months, then only about 10 or so since then. We are now well and truly into spring, the weather is beautiful and days are long, but still no eggs from her. She has the same diet and everything else as the others, so I just can't understand why no eggs! Any ideas? Do you get chickens that just don't lay, or are there always reasons for the lack of eggs?

 

[Judy]

Are you very sure she is not hiding them somewhere? Is she at the bottom of the pecking order and feeling stressed? Of course it could be she just has some sort of defect in the egg laying machinery.

 

[estgus12]

Nope, Tandoori is VERY definately at the TOP of the pecking order, even above Clint our rooster! Her history is this: We bought her and 2 others around feb 2010. The other 2 layed beautifully, but she had a few shell less eggs and a handful of good eggs. The other 2 chooks were killed, one was got by a neighbours dog and one by an eagle (we think this was the case due to lack f noise and feathers). She has also survived a wound to the neck (got when she tried to stop our rabbits fighting) and something had a go at her and left her a few scratches on her back. We got 5 chicks for our daughter's kinder in July and integrated them with her in August. 3 were roosters, so we rehomed 2 of them leaving us with 2 girls and a rooster (Honey, Soy and Clint). We than bought another layer (Eggmerelda) who laid the day after we bought her (early September) and nearly every day since. They have a large run, a choice of 2 roosts and 2 nestboxes, they are allowed into our almost predator proof garden when we are around and about, so have a lovely life. She is such a character, so the lack of eggs is not a big issue, just wondering if there is smething I've missed.

 

[Rachel'sFlock]

Just a random thought, but when I wanted to "jump start" my production, I gave my girls cooked salmon and tuna, as well as the last of the storebought eggs, scrambled (sans salt and pepper, of course) as treats on different days. Has made a difference for us. Protein rich foods make more eggs. Never a huge amount at a time, but as a snack they could consume all of in under 10 minutes.
I hope your friend finds her eggs, again, and soon!

Brightest Blessings for a glorious spring! We are just getting underway with proper Autumn, here... storming like mad out.