Should I be worried about my EE that suddenly stopped laying?

[augustwest]

I did read the sticky on this subject- thank you! It was very informative and I feel a bit better that she's simply stopped due to lack of light. We are not, and likely will not, supplement light. I am still a bit worried about my girl... was hoping that someone could reassure this newbie?

We have a small flock of 4 standard hens (2 EE and 2 partridge rock) and 2 bantams (a frizzle and a silkie). The bantams haven't started laying- they were born in June. One could be a rooster and I guess I should be wondering why neither have started laying---- but I digress.

One of my EEs, Anita, lays pretty green eggs. (She was hatched 5/12.) So, when we stopped seeing green eggs about 14 days ago, we surely noticed. About 1/3 of her eggs were double yolkers, too. Anita was not looking good at about the same time that she stopped laying. She was all puffed out and had her tail dropped and was looking sleepy- not eating or drinking. I grabbed her and gave her some olive oil via a syringe, thinking that it was a crop issue. She was better less than 8 hours later and wanted OUT of her quarantine cage.

She's had one more "off day" about 5 days ago. She just looked poorly and wasn't interested in scratch when I tossed it out before bed. I figured that maybe she was egg bound and had plans to give her a bath in the am-expecting to see her looking much worse in the am. But, in the am, she was back to her old self. Still no eggs, though.

We were getting a reliable 4 eggs a day from our girls and we are down to maybe 2. I am assuming that's normal for this time of year. But, where the heck is Anita's egg?

We have a huge run- about 100 feet by 40 feet, and a small coop about 4X7 feet. We do free range most afternoons. We feed layer pellets, scratch and boss. Also, kitchen scraps and oyster shells. I've looked and looked for a hidden nest, but I don't think that she has one. Besides, we've noticed that her comb is not turning red like it used to and like the other's do. We really notice when a comb is red, we should expect an egg soon (or look for one in the box).

Sorry this message has gotten a lot longer then I expected! I guess I need to know if I SHOULD worry? If she was egg-bound, she'd have been much sicker by now, right? And, when the heck will she start again? We loved showing off those greenies!

Thank you!

 

[augustwest]

I should have added that Anita has also been known to lay green tinted, no shell eggs! We've seen several from her, we assume, and only an odd one here and there from the other girls. We haven't even gotten a soft or no-shell in the last 2 weeks.

Thanks again!

 

[jossanne]

She could be egg-bound, but I've never experienced it. The only time I had a new layer stop laying, my poor little leghorn hen had an impacted crop from all the weeds my kids had been feeding her. BUT... it could be the weather too. As far as your bantams hatched in June that aren't laying yet, none of my April or May bantams are laying yet. Hang in there.

 

[debilorrah]

In a word, no. My EE's go on strike this time of year every single year and don't start laying again until Feb or Mar.

 

[texasgal]

I have one that just quit laying about 2 weeks ago also .. I've got three that have slowed to one every other day .. and one little gem that is still laying a nice green egg every single day ...

I never thought to be worried about Cocoa when she stopped laying .. I've been more pleasantly surprised that Hershey has just kept plugging along!

 

[Nostalchic]

I have 10 EE's in my flock, all lay blue or green eggs, getting zero to one a day of those now and expect to have to wait till February till they kick in again. Been through it before... it's natural. They aren't the best winter layers, but they have many other attributes to make up for it!

 

[Chick CJ]

I haven't had a green egg out of my one EE in over two months. Now that the molt is over I was thinking I might get a green egg soon, but by the sound of these posts, I won't hold my breath!!

 

[schatze17]

My EE hasn't laid in over a week now. Our temps are in the 30-50's range right now, so just attributed it to the weather and lack of sunlight. Her abdomen feels fine.

 

[augustwest]

Thanks everyone! I am so new to chickens.... of COURSE I should have considered that some breeds are better layers than others. Glad to hear that I am not alone in my green egg free winter. Hope they all pick up by March.

Our other EE lays pretty pale pink eggs that are hard to tell apart from the nice light brown PR eggs. We went through the 7 eggs we've gotten in the past week... I think that our other EE has stopped laying, too! Go figure.

We've lost 2 chickens since we started int he spring. Both were great layers but, we've been pretty happy with the crew that we have now. I'll have to start thinking about IF we add a trio in the spring, will I go for color or laying power?!

Thanks again

 

[turbo13]

My EE hen , had been laying a pretty mint green egg almost every am.Last night she had yet to lay.it was getting late.I did'nt worry until about 5pm.When she seemed frantic running from nest to nest and corner to corner.I was concered that she may be egg bound. I held her on my lap for about a hour.she was squaking .then jumped into her nest a laid her egg. It was about 7:20 pm. no egg today.But seems ok .