Non-laying chicken

[Bluebellthebluebell]

Hi - we are new to the forum and would welcome any advice why our healthy, beautiful Bluebell hybrid has stopped laying. This has been going on for about 6 weeks now. She's 18 months old and isn't egg bound nor appears to be broody. She's free ranging but is our shy, nervous girl who hates to be picked up. Any ideas? Thank you!

 

[humblehillsfarm]

If she's free ranging, she's probably hiding her eggs. I've had this happen to be numerous times. It's a major downside of free ranging. To retrain, I have to put them in a temporary run for a week or more. It's easier if you can find and remove her stash! If you can't find it, and she finds it again in the future, it'll trigger her to lay there again.

 

[Bluebellthebluebell]

If she's free ranging, she's probably hiding her eggs. I've had this happen to be numerous times. It's a major downside of free ranging. To retrain, I have to put them in a temporary run for a week or more. It's easier if you can find and remove her stash! If you can't find it, and she finds it again in the future, it'll trigger her to lay there again.

We’ll go on a hunt and see if she’s tucked them away somewhere ! Thank you

 

[humblehillsfarm]

We’ll go on a hunt and see if she’s tucked them away somewhere ! Thank you

Any luck?

 

[Bluebellthebluebell]

Any luck?

Nothing obvious. HA

Any luck?

we haven’t found anything. Have checked the shrubbery and under the hedges but so far nothing. When the weather cools down I’ll keep them in the coop and see what happens

 

[aart]

This is good reason to have a run.

 

[Aunt Angus]

You know, I have a 2 yr old Cochin who did the same. She still lays, but very infrequently - like maybe 1x/week. I assumed internal laying or something similarly awful, but so far, she's been fine (knock on wood). I monitor her weight frequently just in case. She still lays, just lays very infrequently. Been this way for over a year now. She also goes through significant molts twice a year. She's just peculiar, but I am always expecting her health to go south.

 

[Cindy in PA]

If she's 18 months old, could she be an early molter? That's the right age & some molt a year after starting egg laying & some go longer before molting.

 

[Aunt Angus]

If she's 18 months old, could she be an early molter? That's the right age & some molt a year after starting egg laying & some go longer before molting.

Good point! Half my flock is molting right now. I've been getting very few eggs because of it. Grrr...

 

[Bluebellthebluebell]

If she's 18 months old, could she be an early molter? That's the right age & some molt a year after starting egg laying & some go longer before molting.

She isn’t molting at the moment and is the most beautiful of our 5 hens showing no signs of molt- all very baffling. I do think she’s a bit stressed just by us being nearby and has taken to flapping her Wings if we get to close. But happy to come near you on her own terms! Maybe just a contrary one!