No eggs for a week from a consistent layer

[Lyndsie]

We have four, 9 month old chickens. They have all been laying very consistently since September. We have one Easter Egger (named Angela) and our other three lay brown eggs, so hers are very distinguishable.

We have a light on a timer in the coop that helped to keep them all consistent through the winter months.

We have not had an egg from Angela in over week now. The other three are still consistent.

She does not show any symptoms of being egg bound.

We have a roll away egg box, and sometimes the eggs have holes pecked in them. We've caught Angela reaching her head down in to the egg box to try to peck at the eggs a few times, and have, on a couple rare occasions found partially eaten eggs in the coop.

Is it possible that she has started laying her eggs somewhere where she can eat them? We've checked the coop and run and have not seen any signs of this. Would she eat the entire thing? They only free range when we are home, so I don't think it's possible that she's laying in the yard.

Or, is it normal for them to stop laying for a period of time?

Or, could there be something wrong?

Thank you!!!

 

[Wezdin]

Is it possible that she has started laying her eggs somewhere where she can eat them

is it normal for them to stop laying for a period of time?

Both of these are possible and even likley. Over the winter it is common to have a hen slow down or stop completely. Is she showing any signs of molting?

 

[aart]

Is it possible that she has started laying her eggs somewhere where she can eat them? We've checked the coop and run and have not seen any signs of this. Would she eat the entire thing?

Yep, it's possible. I f they eat the yolk and shell all you'l find it a wet spot, and you may not even find that depending on where it happens.

Or, is it normal for them to stop laying for a period of time?

Yep, that is also possible.
EE's can be inconsistent layers, taking breaks not attributed to molting or winter light.

Or, could there be something wrong?

As long as she's eating/drinking/pooping/moving around OK, I'd not worry.
Always good to give regular exams looking for external parasites, swollen bellies, anything out of the ordinary.

 

[Lyndsie]

Thank you both. In terms of molting, I don’t see any bare spots on her, but this morning I did notice more feathers than normal in the run. I thought she was too young for her first molt, but it’s my first time raising chickens so who knows!
Perhaps she will start up again... it seems odd to me that she’d be eating a whole egg almost every day with no signs of it.. but we also are not typically home during laying time.

 

[Lyndsie]

An update.. Angela was acting very strange when we let them out to free range this evening. She was sprinting all over the yard, running up to the other three chickens, then running away. She is the smallest, and I know that they can stop laying if they are stressed.. is it possible that they are picking on her while we are gone during the day? I don't see signs of injury, but she's impossible to catch and hold so I can't say for sure!
Do they act strange when they molt?

 

[aart]

If she was running up to the other birds, and they weren't pecking/chasing her away, it isn't likely a picking scenario.
Sounds like she my be looking for a place to lay.
I would doubt she is molting, due to age and time of year, but it doesn't make them run around like that.

 

[Lyndsie]

She seemed very jumpy this morning as well. If she is looking for a place to lay, does that mean that she might be egg bound? I was under the impression that they became very sluggish

 

[aart]

If she is looking for a place to lay, does that mean that she might be egg bound?

No.
She may just be a bit neurotic.

Have you done this?:

Always good to give regular exams looking for external parasites, swollen bellies, anything out of the ordinary.

My Bug Check notes:
Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

 

[Lyndsie]

No, we haven’t been able to catch her! We will give her some treats and try this evening, thank you.

 

[aart]

No, we haven’t been able to catch her! We will give her some treats and try this evening, thank you.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird