Non-Laying Chicken Year Old

[Tsickum]

Does anyone know what would cause a chook to be pre-disposed to be a non layer? She's only a year old, and I've taken her to the vet - he said she seems perfectly healthy and happy. She's been wormed and flead, just doesn't lay! When we first got her she laid little weak shells and nothing else, but haven't seen anything in months. She's on a layer diet and has oyster shells in there too so shouldn't be a calcium deficiency.

Anyone else in a similar boat?

TIA!

 

[Cragg Klefor]

Sounds like she has a reproductive disorder with her laying weak little shells and then nothing. When you feel her abdomen is there any swelling or bloat?
Reproductive disorders are really common, and there is not really anything you can do to 'cure' them. If she is healthy and eating and drinking she may live for quite a long time - just as a non layer. Others may have some more insight for you. Best wishes!

 

[rebrascora]

She may have started laying and then gone into an early moult... did you notice any feather loss in the past few months and be waiting for the longer days to resume laying.
Do your flock free range at all? Is it possible she has a secret nest somewhere? Chickens can be very crafty about where they lay their eggs (even penned birds can sometimes manage to hide a stash under the coop or under the rafters), especially younger more agile birds or light weight, flightier breeds like Leghorns.... not sure if that is applicable but I once found a secret nest in the eves of my stable with 47 eggs in it at this time of year, when I thought my hens were not laying.
Third option would be some sort of reproductive disorder like internal laying where egg yolks released from the ovary drop into the abdominal cavity instead of making their way down the oviduct. As @Cragg Klefor mentioned their abdomen will usually become distended over a period of months. Cupping your hand between their legs whilt they are roosting and comparing with adjacent birds will help you assess if this may be the problem.

 

[dawg53]

I agree with CK. It also could be genetic. I've had hens like this. Then one day they lay a nice egg. Thereafter it was usually hit and miss. If anything, they are good for eating bugs or meat on the table.

 

[TomZilla43]

I had a Cuckoo Marans that didn't lay for almost that long, eventually she started laying. After the initial delay I got eggs from her on a regular basis, similar to my other chooks. However she did wind up dying a few mths ago, somewhat suddenly w/o seeming cause. So I have wondered if she didn't have some sort of malady that contributed to both her late laying and early demise. Certainly hope that you start getting eggs and that yours works out to be a happier story. Oh and .