New layer stopped laying

[Kluckners]

Five weeks ago, our Barred Rock laid 3 eggs in 5 days, and then stopped entirely and hasn't laid since. She seems totally healthy otherwise, she's on layer feed and has oyster shells available, she's not hiding eggs anywhere in our yard, and I'm pretty sure they're not being eaten because other hens' eggs aren't being eaten.

I figured I'd just wait it out for a couple weeks, figuring she was getting used to laying, etc. But now that it's been 5 weeks, I'm concerned. Any suggestions or other things I can check for?

She sings the egg song when the other new layers lay their eggs, though, which is pretty funny. Our Wyandotte started laying last week and has laid every day since. Our Buff Orpington just laid her first egg yesterday. Our Cochin isn't quite there yet.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Don't be concerned. They aren't egg machines, they are birds that occasionally feed us breakfast.
They can go in fits and starts early in their laying career - especially autumn and winter.
They don't need calcium to ovulate, they need protein for that. The layer feed and oyster shell is to replace that used to build egg shells - after they ovulate.
Where are you located and what are they fed? Anything besides layer feed?
At my latitude, we are losing 2 1/2 minutes of daylight per day. That can cause them to shut down.

 

[Kluckners]

After a six week break, she finally laid again today!

 

[Kluckners]

We're in Seattle. They're on layer feed and the occasional mealworms or grass/etc they eat around our yard, and some veggie scraps here and there.

What's funny about this hen is that she's the one that sings the egg songs when the other chickens lay. But she won't lay herself.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

We're in Seattle. They're on layer feed and the occasional mealworms or grass/etc they eat around our yard, and some veggie scraps here and there.

What's funny about this hen is that she's the one that sings the egg songs when the other chickens lay. But she won't lay herself.

Ever notice when one hen sings the 'egg song' that multiple hens do?
Actually that behavior is a remnant from when they were wild jungle fowl. A hen will leave her flock temporarily to go to the nest to lay an egg. When she is done, she comes off the nest and calls out "hey where are you guys"? (the egg song). The flock calls back, "here we are".
Occasionally they randomly start that clucking. I've even heard roosters do it when he is separated from the flock.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Here is another way to identify those who should be laying.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/se..._comments]=1&c[include_reviews]=1&o=relevance

 

[ChickenCanoe]

We're in Seattle. They're on layer feed and the occasional mealworms or grass/etc they eat around our yard, and some veggie scraps here and there.

What's funny about this hen is that she's the one that sings the egg songs when the other chickens lay. But she won't lay herself.

In Seattle, you are losing 3.5 minutes a day of light now.

 

[Kluckners]

Just weird to me that she started the first week of August and then stopped that week. She was 20 weeks at the time. Now she’s 25 weeks. Oh well, I’ll just keep waitin’

 

[aart]

My rooster went crazy with the 'egg song' right at dusk last evening.

Mine did too!

 

[Erba]

Mine just laid an egg after at least 8 weeks of nothing. Before that, she laid normally and then I got four double yolkers from her and then she stopped. Upped the protein and waited... Think it was a hormonal thing, Wasn't moulting or anything.