New layer started laying and then stopped

[aharriso]

Hello,

I have 3 new additions to my flock (Ameraucana, Delaware, and Dominique). Hatched on Feb 29 this year. My Ameraucana started laying first at the end of July. I thought it was early - right before she was 5 months old. The other 2 started laying about a week later. They have been laying for about 3 weeks now. But last Friday (Aug 12) the Ameraucana stopped laying. I can tell because I was getting a blue green egg from her just about every day. I am now only getting 2 a day from the other 2 hens. I am completely baffled (and disappointed because I loved those blue green eggs). It has been a week now and no sign of a blue green egg. She is not going near the egg box - it's almost like she lost interest .

The Ameraucana is quite healthy, alert, eating and drinking. She is my alpha hen between the 3 of them. I have 3 other older hens (5 years old) but I keep them separated unless they are free ranging.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

[sourland]

Any possibility that she has a hidden nest in your yard?

 

[aharriso]

Yeah, I thought about that and did search around but for several of the last few days this week I didn't let her out of the run....and still no egg. It is really baffling to me.

 

[eleaserek]

Last summer I had an Easter egger that did the same thing to me. She would lay really well for a couple weeks, then take a week or so off. She's still a sporadic layer at almost a year and a half, but it's more like a couple days off here and there rather than the weeks it used to be.