My chicken seems to never lay!

[PippaTheChick]

My chicken Pippa (a hylander, about 3 or 4 years old) seems to be a lazy layer. She hasn't laid in 3 or so months, and about two months before that. When she lays, the egg is perfectly normal, is there something wrong?

 

[Windy_Acres]

Many chickens become very sporadic layers as they get to that age. As long as she is acting fine, eating well, hasn't lost weight, and her poops look normal I wouldn't worry.

The decision becomes if you are willing to keep a freeloader, and if not, what you'd like to do with her.

 

[Windy_Acres]

One more thought- you may want to try worming her. Worms may not be visible in her poop, but if she has a heavy worm load, that may be enough to interfere with laying.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If you're in the northern hemisphere, a hen that age would have likely molted 3 or 4 months ago which shuts down laying while they regrow a winter coat and the reproductive tract goes through a much needed rest. After winter solstice, laying should resume. Likely by February, maybe sooner, maybe later, you'll be back in eggs again.
I have several flocks of chickens. One flock consists of 2 to 5 year old hens. I've gotten one egg from 10 hens in that building in the last 3 months. But I will be flush with eggs from that building in a couple more months.
Do you have other hens? What are you feeding while not getting eggs?

 

[PippaTheChick]

I do not have any more chickens, we feed her porridge leftovers in the mornings, wheat in the afternoons and anything she may find around the yard. She sometimes gets a handful of fresh corn as well.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Ok then. One of your problems is a low protein diet. Chickens are omnivores, not vegetarians.
Where are you located?
Corn is about 8% protein. Depending on the variety, wheat may be as high as 12% protein. Depending on the makeup of the porridge, I doubt it is much over 12%.
Worse yet, those grains are deficient in some essential amino acids like lysine, methionine, maybe tryptophan and others.
Chickens need at least 16% protein to lay well. That crude protein also has to contain sufficient levels of all 13 essential amino acids chickens are known to need.

Feed a complete chicken feed if available or add some animal protein in the form of fish, meat, mealworms, crickets, etc. to the diet and you'll start getting eggs after a bit.

Also, chickens are flock animals and need friends. Loneliness could be affecting ovulation even after she gets the protein she needs.

 

[PippaTheChick]

Thank you for replying,
Do you know where to find the supplies to worm her? I have an urban vet nearby, although I doubt that they have supplies for chickens. I've looked quickly in the supermarket, but nothing seems to be there.

 

[PippaTheChick]

Thank you,
I'll definitely add more protein to her diet. My parents do not want to get another chicken though. I've been spending more time with her, but she doesn't seem to notice.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Where are you located? That will help me answer your questions properly.
She may have worms but without sufficient protein she won't lay anyway.
There are only a few worming (anthelmintic) medications. Any vet should know all of them and be able to provide them.
Supermarkets won't have that type of product. A feed store may but depending on the country, it may be that they are strictly controlled and need to be prescribed by a vet.
A vet should also be able to read a fecal sample to determine if she even has worms.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Thank you,
I'll definitely add more protein to her diet. My parents do not want to get another chicken though. I've been spending more time with her, but she doesn't seem to notice.

That's too bad. Most chicken keepers think it is very hard on a chicken to be a loner all their life. You should endeavor to talk your parents into at least one more. Let them know that, as flock animals, they don't fare well alone.