One hen not laying

[Smlondon11]

I have eight white leghorn hens that I purchased as chicks last spring. I usually collected 8 eggs every day until this winter when they all stopped laying. When they began laying again this spring, I only ever collect 6-7. I figured one was hiding her eggs (free range), or we just weren’t in peak production anymore. However, after a couple months of this, we finally built a chicken run and now I can see no one is hiding eggs from me. I have since noticed one hen with a very yellow beak and legs, and her vent also appears much smaller than the others. It’s very muddy right now, and I also noticed that every other hen is muddy except her! So I think the rooster is no longer interested in her, which also makes me think she’s not laying. Again, this started much before buying the chicken run. I give them all free choice feed, grit, and oyster shell. She otherwise seems healthy, in fact was the first to show the new chicks who’s boss, and a disease would have spread through the flock by now, right? Is it possible for her to be done laying so young when the others are still laying almost every day? Is she still safe for us to eat or should I be concerned she is ill?

 

[St3v3n31922]

Knowing my knowledge when a chicken is ill they would stop eating and drinking and hide, when they don’t lay eggs sometime might be going on, stress levels or just they do t get enough vitamins to produces eggs, you don’t need a rooster to make a hen lay eggs too! Haha

 

[aart]

Some birds are just 'lemons'...could be genetic defect or disease.
Odd your pullets didn't lay thru winter.
Can't advise you to eat her or not, that's your risk to take.

 

[TheRusticRebel]

They stopped laying completely in the winter? My 5 rir had gotten less consistent but they didnt stop laying. Id get anywhere from 2-4 eggs a day for a couple months.

Also like pp said. Hens lay regardless of a rooster being around. I dont have a rooster.

Stress or illness is my guess. Or molting. Mine didnt molt. Or if they fid it was super gradual and i didnt even notice. They are a year old.

 

[Smlondon11]

I know they’ll lay without a rooster, but I thought maybe he wasn’t interested in breeding her if she’s not laying eggs. My pullets quit laying at all for six or eight weeks this winter. We live in PA and I didn’t have a light in the coop. I don’t think the leghorns are very cold hardy! I added more RIR to the flock this year.

I’m guessing she must be a fluke then because stress or molt should have passed by now and she has no other signs of illness but many signs she’s past laying (small comb, yellow beak and legs, small/dry vent).

 

[aart]

but I thought maybe he wasn’t interested in breeding her if she’s not laying eggs.

True that a 'good' cockbird will not mount a female that is not laying.

I’m guessing she must be a fluke

Yep, like I said...she's a 'lemon'(usually refers to a defective automobile).
If you slaughter for eating, examining her reproductive system might give a clue to what is wrong.

 

[Smlondon11]

Thank you!