My 18week old hen laid an egg a day for 7 days, then nothing...

[SiggAndChicks]

Hi
I'm new to BYC and to chickens this year. We have 14 hens, many different breeds, all about 20 weeks old now. Big oversized coop with an attached 400sq foot predator proof pen. They are all happy, healthy and just about the sweetest chickens I've met.
One of my Barred Rocks, Besse, started laying about 2 weeks ago. She layed an egg a day for 7 days, then stopped. Hasn't layed an egg for 5 days now. She's acting normal, not acting sick at all. She's actually my sweetest girl. She is spending a good deal of time in the nest box. They are fed a high quality layer crumble, veggie scraps when available, always have fresh water and free range 3-4 days a week.

I am familiar with the many reasons that hens stop laying or slow down egg production, but I assumed this applied to older hens.
Is it normal for a young hen to be irregular when they first start laying?

I also understand that stress can interfere with egg laying. We have been building a shed that requires many loud power tools and wondered if that could be stressing her. But, they were allowed to free range during this time and they were just as nosy as they usually are. They were all over us foraging all around us even with the loud tools, so I'm not convinced that it bothered them.

Any help is appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

[imogene08]

Well if she just started to lay then her laying Time will be on and off sense she's new to laying nothing to worry about in a few weeks she should have it down pact happened when my hen started to lay she laid little tiny eggs and was on and off

 

[Opa Bee]

If you have 14 chickens how do you know which one isn't laying? I have 3 red star hens that were laying one egg each a day. Now I am only getting 2 eggs and I don't know which one isn't laying.

 

[SiggAndChicks]

Imogene08:

Thank you so much for such a quick response. I wondered if this was the case so I was relieved to hear your answer.
Funny, today as I was leaving for work, I checked one more time and poof! there was an egg!

Thanks for your help!

 

[SiggAndChicks]

Opa Bee:

I think I know this because I spend an abnormal amount of time with my hens

Really, I'm pretty sure it's her based on some of her behaviors and the amount of time she spend in the nest box.
After 5 days of nothing, she laid another egg today! Think she just needs some time to mature and figure it out.
Good luck with your girls!

 

[Opa Bee]

Sigg,
You are probably watching yours closer than I do. Maybe I need to spend a bit more time around them when they are ready to lay. Usually they all had laid by 10 am. Now the weather is cooling at night and they may be adjusting to the fall weather.
Thanks for the input.

 

[rubengar]

Isn't 18weeks a bit early for laying?

 

[SiggAndChicks]

Isn't 18weeks a bit early for laying?

It is definitely early. I was surprised to find any eggs that young. But she started laying an egg a day for 7 days when she turned 18 weeks. She laid nothing for 5 days then started laying again yesterday. They're all 20 weeks now, so I expect to see more eggs soon!

 

[SiggAndChicks]

Sigg,
You are probably watching yours closer than I do. Maybe I need to spend a bit more time around them when they are ready to lay. Usually they all had laid by 10 am. Now the weather is cooling at night and they may be adjusting to the fall weather.
Thanks for the input.

I hope I didn't offend you by implying I spend more time with my girls than you do. That was definitely not my intention! I meant my comment to be making fun of myself for the ridiculous amount of time I spend with them. Pretty sure it qualifies for an obsession at this point
Mine too also didn't lay until 10am, but seem to be adjusting their biological clocks now. How old are your girls?

 

[Opa Bee]

Not at all, I understood your joking comment. I wish I had more time to watch them. They each have their own little personalities. Mine are back to all three laying an egg a day.
Thanks for the help!