Not Laying, I know I know...

[ReelFaster]

I know there are 100's of posts and information about not laying. But I can't seem to figure this one out and it could be I just have 2 hens with health issues.

Speckled Sussex and a Plymouth Rock, both about 2-3yrs old.

Plymouth Rock was a little egg laying machine then she stopped last Aug/Sept as she was molting. That lasted several several weeks and then winter came and I figured it was the lack of daylight and the onset of winter. Although I usually always got a couple of eggs over the winter from her. Fast forward to this spring and still nothing. She seems happy as can be, her comb is red (not blood red) but does not look pale. She eats and drinks normally, seems completely normal. I checked her for mites and lice, nothing. I check their poo for worms all the time and just recently dewormed the entire flock of 4 (about 4-5 weeks ago). I am at a loss. She did have wry neck in the past but I was able to correct it and I am pretty sure she was laying afterwards (I could be wrong).

My Speckled Sussex has had a few bouts of sour crop, one just recently. She also had vent gleet as well, but we've turned the corner on both and she is well into a few weeks post recovery. Her comb is red, but not red like the two other egg layers. I've checked her for mites/lice and she has been dewormed. Not sure if I am just not being patient enough. She too has not laid in a very long time but that is on me as she's had the vent gleet for a long time and I just thought it was pasty butt until she really didn't start feeling well. I treated her with monistat for 7 full days 2x a day, and she recovered well.

Just thought I'd share in case anyone has experienced this in the past. At this point I am going close to a whole year without either laying an egg. Thanks in advance!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Kinda early for them to quit entirely (though not unheard of), but the health problems they had in the past might've contributed to the stoppage. Possibly they'll start up later this year, or they may end up starting again next year, hard to say. I have a few freeloaders myself for one reason or another.

 

[ReelFaster]

I spent a lot of time with them yesterday and I cannot see anything off. I inspected their droppings and both looks pretty normal.

 

[Mrs. K]

Some people go bald, some people don't. Same thing with chickens, some lay well, some not so well.

Rule of thumb, each year they lay less than they did the year before, which always surprises me when people want to keep really old hens. I like eggs.

I would not expect either to lay well, may sporadically produce an egg.

Mrs K

 

[Perris]

Are they free to roam so could they have a secret nest somewhere?

That apart, both have had health issues. It can take quite some time to get over these things, and egg laying is the last thing to come back on stream I've found.

I nearly culled what has become my favourite bird when she was 2 because she kept dropping soft- or shell-less eggs and I worried it'd encourage egg-eating, and I'm so glad I didn't: she's now 6, has laid proper eggs for 3 years and the numbers are declining but we're talking 180, 150, 120 ish, plus all those set last year hatched, and all the chicks made it to adult hood and are beautiful and vigorous, so her fertility was undiminished too. She seems to be laying less this year, but she is now 6 and also I find it hard to distinguish her eggs from those of her 3 pullet daughters, so I may be undercounting her.

So I'd say be patient. If they otherwise now look and are healthy, and are getting good quality protein (i.e. animal, fish or insect rather than plant) in their diets, they may resume where they left off.

 

[ReelFaster]

Are they free to roam so could they have a secret nest somewhere?

That apart, both have had health issues. It can take quite some time to get over these things, and egg laying is the last thing to come back on stream I've found.

I nearly culled what has become my favourite bird when she was 2 because she kept dropping soft- or shell-less eggs and I worried it'd encourage egg-eating, and I'm so glad I didn't: she's now 6, has laid proper eggs for 3 years and the numbers are declining but we're talking 180, 150, 120 ish, plus all those set last year hatched, and all the chicks made it to adult hood and are beautiful and vigorous, so her fertility was undiminished too. She seems to be laying less this year, but she is now 6 and also I find it hard to distinguish her eggs from those of her 3 pullet daughters, so I may be undercounting her.

So I'd say be patient. If they otherwise now look and are healthy, and are getting good quality protein (i.e. animal, fish or insect rather than plant) in their diets, they may resume where they left off.

Thank you for the reply and advice, they were great layers and the speckled Sussex is a sweet hen.

They aren't free to roam, I let them free range periodically when I am home doing choirs in the yard. Most weekends they are out free ranging.

Never culled a chicken before but thought about it, just have to get the family over it, lol.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

This is why I add just a few new chicks every year. By 2-3 they "can" become simply inconsistent with laying. I've had everything from stopping for good, to stopping for a few months, then back to the daily factory, then stop again. I don't sweat it wondering why, I surely don't blame my feed and I just keep the rotation going, fully expecting that by 3 they're going to do whatever their body wants. They don't have an endless supply so it's pretty natural to start running low. Just my experience........

 

[ReelFaster]

Great info, thank you! I kick myself I didn't make the coop and run bigger than it is. It can only hold 4 - 5 birds max and I haven't brought myself to cull a chicken just yet.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Great info, thank you! I kick myself I didn't make the coop and run bigger than it is. It can only hold 4 - 5 birds max and I haven't brought myself to cull a chicken just yet.

Nothing says you need to eat them. You can try rehoming them, though I'd give full disclosure to the fact that they aren't laying and previously had health issues. But some folks might take older hens just as pets.

 

[ReelFaster]

Agreed! I did see a listing awhile back on CL that took in chickens nobody wanted.

I am going to stick it out. I think my one speckled Sussex has started laying, not regularly but I can tell it's her egg. Would love to catch her in the nesting box for 100% confirmation but I am pretty sure it's her egg so far only about 1 or 2 a week.

Thank you