One egg....then never again

[Crazychocolatedog]

Hi,
I have 5 hens, they are 28 weeks old. Usually I get 2-3 brownish eggs a day.
About 6 weeks ago, in addition to the 2-3 brown eggs, I found 2 blue eggs,( on separate days from each other). I have 2 Easter egg chickens.
But I have never gotten the colored eggs again. I’m assuming the Easter egg chickens each laid an egg...then stopped. Period. Nothing. Nadda. Zero.
The eggs were big, and beautiful....the chickens are active, funny, eating, drinking....but no eggs since.
What could be going on? I feed layer pellets, they have oyster shell and grit...they have a coop and a big beautiful covered run...lots of love. I clean their home every day. I also give them a treat like some meal worms, or sprouted lentils, or pumpkin...
I don’t understand. ...
And they aren’t hiding them....I check thoroughly. I let them out for about 45-60 minutes every day. ...and I can see where they’ve wandered. No brush to hide and egg.

 

[lilmillefleur]

Are they molting?

 

[Crazychocolatedog]

I’m new at this, but I don’t see feathers missing or floating around.
One EE squats when I pat her... but she’s done this for weeks.

 

[snow5164]

Does her vent and stomach look normal? Not red and swollen ? Are you sure you know who’s laying which eggs?

I’ve never had ee but I know they lay a variety of colours , new layers are sporadic for sure .

Do you offer light for 14 hours? I have a 40 watt bulb for two coops it’s so romantic , it’s enough to keep them laying ... on at 6am off at 8 pm

 

[Relleoms]

I’m facing the same thing with an Easter Egger & an Olive Egger! I’m chalking it up to the change in daylight & weather, but my other little girls keep plugging along. Maybe they are having “sympathy molt” with the big girls?

 

[Crazychocolatedog]

I’m facing the same thing with an Easter Egger & an Olive Egger! I’m chalking it up to the change in daylight & weather, but my other little girls keep plugging along. Maybe they are having “sympathy molt” with the big girls?

 

[Crazychocolatedog]

I’m not really in to this to get the most eggs. So I’m not putting s light on to get mire eggs. I do this just because I think chickens are cute and, hey, who doesn’t like a fresh egg.
I just hope they are ok. I don’t “see” anything “ obviously “wrong with them but I have no idea where or what that vent looks like ... lol. I haven’t had anyone here to hold one up while I try to peek. Ick.

 

[Isaiah53]

Most of mine are either broody or molting and with less light, only a few are laying at the moment. I let them rest through the winter and lay at their leisure, I don't add extra light. But I have 22 at laying age and about 25 to 30 coming up to POL from now on, and another 30+ to lay starting February.

They may start back up or just lay less often at this time of year. As others mention you can add light to your coop to extend your laying day.

 

[milogirly]

I’m facing the same thing with an Easter Egger & an Olive Egger! I’m chalking it up to the change in daylight & weather, but my other little girls keep plugging along. Maybe they are having “sympathy molt” with the big girls?

My Easter Egger is doing the same thing! I was getting was getting at least 5 eggs from her a week since she starting laying the end of July and then the past week - NADA. I have given her the once over a couple of times (which isn't easy because she is the squirrliest of all my girls) and she's totally healthy and happy. My older girls are molting as well.

 

[RWise]

EE's take more than other breeds to make their colored eggs, (I have read the color comes from their blood) it would not be uncommon for them to shut down first and fire up last. (it is not written in stone, each bird is an individual).

I keep EEs and I use lights all winter set to 13.5 hours per day (in the AM hours). This keeps the younger ones laying, and the older girls shut down and molt. Once the molt is done the older crew fires back up.