My barred plymouth rock hen has come to a complete stop for laying eggs. It has been 2-3 weeks and I haven't gotten a single egg out of her. She will be 1 year old in June-July, so I don't think it is age. My other 3 hens (partridge plymouth rock, red sex link, and rhode island red) are still each giving me an egg a day. The weather is getting warm, and the other hens are still laying, so I don't think it is weather. I'm afraid she might be sick... My hens are pets and I would never dream of killing them, I want for them to die of natural causes - such as old age.
I have heard (note, I said heard, I don't know if it is true) that if you don't have a rooster (which I don't, anymore) a hen might become a "rooster" and stop laying eggs. She is at the top of the pecking order... But she doesn't act like a rooster at all! In fact, she tends to drift away from the other girls when I let them free range for a bit. She looks healthy - smooth legs, shiny feathers, non-pale comb. She is lighter than the other hens, but if I remember right, she has always been this way. The weight is not a big difference, just slightly. The only thing I forgot to check her for was to see if her eyes are still bright - I'll check in the morning.
Anyone know why she has stopped? I have given her 2-3 weeks, so I am not sure if she will begin laying again. If she doesn't, I'll keep her as a pet, but it would be nice to be getting four eggs a day again.
I have heard (note, I said heard, I don't know if it is true) that if you don't have a rooster (which I don't, anymore) a hen might become a "rooster" and stop laying eggs. She is at the top of the pecking order... But she doesn't act like a rooster at all! In fact, she tends to drift away from the other girls when I let them free range for a bit. She looks healthy - smooth legs, shiny feathers, non-pale comb. She is lighter than the other hens, but if I remember right, she has always been this way. The weight is not a big difference, just slightly. The only thing I forgot to check her for was to see if her eyes are still bright - I'll check in the morning.
Anyone know why she has stopped? I have given her 2-3 weeks, so I am not sure if she will begin laying again. If she doesn't, I'll keep her as a pet, but it would be nice to be getting four eggs a day again.