My 13 month old Easter Egger hasn't laid an egg in a week.

[7-hen-jones]

I gave Honey Bunny the warm water bath last night that I saw recommended here. She sure seemed to enjoy it! I massaged her and felt around; not sure what I might find, but she did not seem swollen or anything like that. She doesn't seem pouty or less active.

She gets layer food and forages in 900 sq ft of pasture. I noticed a couple of eggs from another breed showing signs of calcium deficiency, so I have the oyster shell in a bowl near their food. I give scrambled eggs with mashed eggshells and other protein treats like yogurt and cottage cheese pretty regularly to all the girls.

There are no signs of her eating her own eggs (smell, shell bits, or sticky bedding). I have looked thoroughly outside the hen house for eggs -- nada. We live in Southern Indiana and the weather has been great. Is there something else I should try? Appreciations!

 

[silkiechicken]

She could be hiding them or just taking a break if she is healthy otherwise. Sometimes they take breaks, common break times are winter moult and when it starts to get warm out. A feather jacket gets toasty. My birds slow down when it gets over 70F or so.

 

[realsis]

Has she shown signs of sexual maturity yet? Meaning does she squat when you approach her? Usually this is a tell tale sign of sexual maturity and soon after squatting they will begin laying. When mine started squatting the egg followed in a matter of about 5 days. If she is not squatting yet she has not became sexually mature yet and might be a very slow bloomer. most of mine started laying at 6 to 6 1/2 months old. That's even late for some breeds. But for my silkies that seems the age they lay. If your bird is squatting already the eggs should be here very soon.are she could be hiding them? Have you noticed if she is squatting yet?

 

[7-hen-jones]

Oh, perhaps I was misunderstood. She has been a regular layer since 22 weeks. She is now 13 months old. She has not given us an egg in a week. The other hens are laying fine. They are all 13 months old.

 

[realsis]

Ooh I'm sorry yes I misunderstood. And she is acting normally otherwise? It could be the weather change or stress or nutrition. Has anything or any predator scared her? Mine also stopped laying a week ago butmine had gone broody. Is yours broody by chance? If not I'd guess its the weather changing or she's lacking something nutritionally.I hope she starts laying again soon for you! Best wishes

 

[7-hen-jones]

She seems fine and if she has "gone broody" she does not show the signs, such as prolonged sitting in the nesting boxes. It's like she just decided to quit laying! It has been 10-11 days now. I do not know what to do next. Wait it out?

 

[silkiechicken]

Just wait it out if you want to keep her around. Nothing else you can do. Plenty of hand waving methods to encourage laying like adding cayenne pepper to feed, but she'll lay when she's ovulating. For one reason or another, she isn't cycling.