Seemingly healthy hen not laying?

[LaynaDon95]

I have a bantam hen that I separated out from the flock (with a bantam rooster) to breed so I can hatch her eggs. They've been in a tractor for a good 2 months now. I'm waiting until we get back from vacation to gather her eggs. Anyway, about a week ago she just stopped laying. She has plenty of feed, fresh water, occasional hen scratch, and green grass. She's not molting. (At least I don't think she is, I haven't seen any missing feathers.) The rooster isn't mating her too much. (I actually haven't seen him mate her at all, which was my only concern until she stopped laying.) She has a clean nesting box. Her eyes are bright and her comb is very red. I have no idea why she isn't laying. I live in Texas, but it's not been very hot recently, the hottest it's been in the last couple weeks was about 88 (F), I think. I gave her some electrolytes yesterday, but she's acting and looking totally normal. All my other hens are laying. Any ideas?

 

[sumi]

This is strange... is she not hiding her eggs somewhere? Hens love doing that! You won't believe the lengths my hens go to some days to hide their eggs from me.

 

[LaynaDon95]

There's nowhere for her to hide them. I've looked. I've even moved the tractor to make sure I wasn't missing them.

 

[sumi]

Put her back with the other hens and see what she does?

 

[LaynaDon95]

I'd have to lock up the other rooster to do that, but I don't see that I have another choice. I need the eggs. I have a duck sitting and I wanted to give her some of the bantam eggs. I have 2 weeks to get them, so I need her laying now. If I lock up the big rooster, the other hens will go nuts. They hate being without him. I don't know what I'm going to do. Maybe I'll just try it and see. If things don't go well, I'll turn her loose and get bantam eggs from a friend or something. :\ I have no idea why she isn't laying but it's really frustrating me. I need those eggs.

 

[sumi]

I hope she gives you some soon!

 

[LaynaDon95]

Me too. :\

 

[LaynaDon95]

She might be broody... It doesn't explain why she isn't laying, but she's acting broody. I let her out this morning and she hopped up on the nesting boxes, rolled some eggs under her, and started arranging the leaves (what I use for nesting material) how she wanted them. I put an extra egg in to see what she would do and she rolled it up under her as well. I hope she's broody. I have 2 dozen wyandotte eggs to start incubating this weekend. I can give her some of those, hatch the rest myself and give her all the chicks. That would be amazing! *please be broody*

 

[LaynaDon95]

She laid. She's not broody, she just wanted out of the tractor. -_- What jackwagonry. Oh, well. At least I'm getting eggs now.