No Eggs

[chickenjawn]

Hi All!! New chicken lady here. I have 5 girls we've had as day olds, they're about a year old. Two Easter Eggers, one Barred Plymouth Rock, one Dominique, one Black Australorp. All of them have been pretty reliable layers. They free range for most of the day and we are feeding them layer crumbles and scratch grains. One of the Easter Eggers (Marble) has seemingly stopped laying. They all lay pretty distinctive eggs so aside from them being noisy, I can tell be sight who laid what. I've looked through the posts here and none of the situations seem to apply. She's not molting, her appetite is the same, she's not being picked on by the other girls and they are all eating the same thing She doesn't seem ill. She still marches about the yard like the rest. For the past three days they have been contained to the run just in case she was laying somewhere in the yard. They have been pretty good about laying the roosting box. I just want to make sure she's okay.

 

[Battlepants]

Did they lay through this recent winter? If so, my vote would be prepping for a molt. If not, I would really double check that yard to make sure you don't have a secret nest somewhere.

 

[chickenjawn]

Did they lay through this recent winter? If so, my vote would be prepping for a molt. If not, I would really double check that yard to make sure you don't have a secret nest somewhere.

Yes, they slowed down a bit and I had one girl going through some molting and but that wasn't her.

Thanks for your help by the way!

 

[aart]

Not likely to be molting, that'll happen this coming fall.
EE's can be sporadic layers, so she might just be slowing down after her initial season.
Keep them confined for a week total to see if she lays.
As long as she's eating/drinking/pooping/moving around OK, I'd not worry.

we are feeding them layer crumbles and scratch grains

What's the protein level of the layer feed?
Might want to cut out the scratch grains.

 

[chickenjawn]

Not likely to be molting, that'll happen this coming fall.
EE's can be sporadic layers, so she might just be slowing down after her initial season.
Keep them confined for a week total to see if she lays.
As long as she's eating/drinking/pooping/moving around OK, I'd not worry.


What's the protein level of the layer feed?
Might want to cut out the scratch grains.

The layer feed is 16% I just let them out after three days. You think I should keep them penned in the run for a week? They won't be happy about that LOL but I'm willing to try.

Thanks for your response!!

 

[aart]

I just let them out after three days. You think I should keep them penned in the run for a week?

Could work, some birds only lay 1-2 a week.
Up to you.
Another way to tell if she laying or not is.....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

 

[HollowOfWisps]

If she is otherwise normal/healthy I wouldn't be worried. Easter Eggers lay and average of 280 eggs per year which means that for 80 days (give or take) per year you won't get eggs from them.

 

[Mrs. K]

This time of year, they should be laying. I would sit down there with them for a couple of mornings. I found a secret nest in my coop that I have had for years. I had been looking and looking for several days. Sat down there, and pretty soon, buttercup just disappeared.

They can be sneaky.