Old Hen Laying Again

[LillyCoop]

I am curious about my 5 year old hen, Lilly Cooperwood, and her laying behavior. This summer I raised a rooster which became quite aggressive w her and other humans (not me) and Lilly quit laying eggs around this time. I sent said rooster away to a farm and then my little hen,Lilly, became quite lonely. I suppose she preferred the aggression to the loneliness. She rarely left from under the shrubs. I recently bought her a little rooster and bantam hen for companionship, and now Lilly, much to my delight,has begun to lay eggs again! I really thought her egg laying years were over. Has anyone else had an experience like this?

 

[Lauren Kim]

That’s great news!

It could also be the weather that is affecting your hen. Since winter is thawing and spring is coming, Lilly has probably gotten back to her laying schedule. I have a hen named Lily, she’s my current profile picture!

 

[Lazy Farmer]

The stress was preventing her from laying.
Yes to your question.. I see it all the time.

 

[theoldchick]

At five years of age her laying is going to be sporadic. I'm sure she's much happier with her feathered friends!

 

[LillyCoop]

The stress was preventing her from laying.
Yes to your question.. I see it all the time.

I think so too. At what age do hens stop laying though? Just curious. However, these two younguns (as my grandma would say) has brought the life back to Lilly Cooperwood. She has become quite bold and sassy again

At five years of age her laying is going to be sporadic. I'm sure she's much happier with her feathered friends!

 

[Chickassan]

I've never had one totally stop laying, even old grannies would pop one out now and then. Having a little flock has surely done your Lilly a world of good, they need a social structure to thive especially hens.

I think so too. At what age do hens stop laying though? Just curious. However, these two younguns (as my grandma would say) has brought the life back to Lilly Cooperwood. She has become quite bold and sassy again

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I think so too. At what age do hens stop laying though? Just curious. However, these two younguns (as my grandma would say) has brought the life back to Lilly Cooperwood. She has become quite bold and sassy again

Statistically I can't tell you but at 5 yrs production is a lot lower than yr one. I am a breeder. When I select and swap out various hens and place them into my breeding runs, sometimes it takes two weeks before a single egg is made. Sometimes no eggs at all. Those get a BLACK LEG BAND. But when they are put back in the big house, they lay. They just can't handle the stress of breeding unwillingly with some of my males.
The ones that can handle the stress gets green leg bands. Those are the swappers until the day they get black banded and retired to breakfast eggs only.

Roosters add stress to a flock. Especially in an environment where there is less get-a-way space.
My total rangers have the best egg laying ratio. They are totally at peace in their present environment. OLD & young.

 

[LillyCoop]

Statistically I can't tell you but at 5 yrs production is a lot lower than yr one. I am a breeder. When I select and swap out various hens and place them into my breeding runs, sometimes it takes two weeks before a single egg is made. Sometimes no eggs at all. Those get a BLACK LEG BAND. But when they are put back in the big house, they lay. They just can't handle the stress of breeding unwillingly with some of my males.
The ones that can handle the stress gets green leg bands. Those are the swappers until the day they get black banded and retired to breakfast eggs only.

Roosters add stress to a flock. Especially in an environment where there is less get-a-way space.
My total rangers have the best egg laying ratio. They are totally at peace in their present environment. OLD & young.

That’s interesting news. I do have about 3/4 of an acre that she roams around in, but I think the mean rooster totally threw her off. He kept her from eating, which was unusual I thought. Anyway, he had to go! He flogged my sister whom was helping me feed them while I was away. That pretty much did it for me.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Bully..
Your hen needs nutrition to produce. She is receiving it now..

 

[ticketism]

Environment is a huge huge factor when it comes to chickens. I moved my light Sussex and white Orpington to a new home a couple of years ago (custody battle with the ex, haha) and there was one soft shell egg + one no shell egg directly under the roost that very night - Like the change rattled the eggs out before they were ready - Then neither of them lay for about a week until they'd settled in. Chickens are very social, sensitive, and big fans of habit. Change something up or introduce a factor that's stressful and they will more than likely stop laying. That being said, the other side is that if change something up in a way that makes them feel happy and safe, they'll show it by being their cheery charming selves and laying as they should. I remember my dad once found an ad in the paper, 'free - 4 old hens, finished laying' that he just couldn't ignore because it made him sad (haha, he's a sweet man like that), so he took them in and doted on them... Lo and behold, these old hens who'd 'finished laying' went on to lay for another few years until they died of old age, because they were happy and healthy felt safe in a home where they were treated right I don't think there's any definitive answer as to when hens stop laying; it varies so much by breed, individual genetics, flock and home dynamics, stress levels, health, environment, weather, quality of life, etcetcetc... In fact I'm not convinced that all hens necessarily ever fully *stop* laying, maybe it slows down a lot and becomes quite sporadic with age, but if they're happy and healthy they often continue to lay at least the odd egg here and there for their entire lives. Sounds like your ol' girl is feeling a lot better, congrats on your happy home and yay for getting eggs again