Older hen starts laying eggs every other day, before stopping suddenly

[noisegeyser]

My hen, while not ancient, is getting up there in age for an ISA brown hen at about five years old. She stopped laying eggs last October before starting again on Sunday, and laying another on Tuesday. I was expecting one today, but it never came. Could she be laying intermittently because of her age? She layed eggs pretty consistently every other day all of last Spring and Summer. From what I understand, it's younger and older hens that tend to run into reproductive issues. But she's showing no signs of being egg bound. I could feel no hard lump, she has a normal appetite and never appeared to be in any discomfort. She is slightly overweight, but only very slightly and that is in the process of being dealt with. For what it's worth, she was about the same last year and never had any trouble laying.

Am I overreacting? I know hens slow down egg production as they age, but if there are any potential problems I always want to catch them as early as possible. Like I said, she was her usual self today and showed no signs of discomfort.

 

[aart]

Could she be laying intermittently because of her age?

Yes.

Am I overreacting?

Probably.

Like I said, she was her usual self today and showed no signs of discomfort.

Then I'd not worry....as long as she's eating/drinking/pooping/moving around OK.

Not much you could do unless you want to go the vet route and have her tested for worms and respiratory swab cultures.

 

[Ridgerunner]

After their first adult molt hens tend to lay great for that laying season. After each adult molt after the first, they tend to slow down a little more. Each hen is an individual so there can be exceptions but this is pretty typical. She was every other day last year. This laying season she may be on a two-day then three-day rotation. Or maybe every three days. To me that is pretty normal. Like Aart said, if she is acting normal I don't see any flags for concern.