Should I be worried?

[Wynette]

I have an EE pullet that started to lay in early January (she was the last to start laying at 8+ months old). She laid six eggs in the span of two weeks, and then stopped.

I've felt around on her abdomen, pressing here & there to see if I can feel an egg inside, and I don't feel anything, but I'm not sure what to feel for, either.

She's eating and drinking and otherwise appears to be acting normally.

She's on layer pellets, water with AV2000, and I give oatmeal, yogurt, BOSS, and vegetable (sometimes fruit) scraps.

In the last couple of weeks, I've noticed several occasions where she's in the coop alone, but not in a nest box, just sort of hanging out. I kept assuming she was getting geared up to lay again, but it's been over two weeks now, and no eggs.

Should I be concerned? Anything else I should watch for?

It's tough because I work full time, and it's dark when I leave in the morning. I can't observe her during the day as I'm not home. Each time I've seen her in the coop alone was during the weekend.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

They say that sometimes chickens do that but, I'm not sure. Hopefully, with this bump someone who knows for sure will catch it and answer.

 

[Wynette]

Thanks, FK. I really don't care if she never lays again; I just am wondering if I should be checking for something else.

She's a sweet girl; just want her to be healthy!

 

[greenmulberry]

I wonder if the short winter days are not enough light for her to really kick it into egg laying gear.

Hopefully, as the days get longer, she will pick up again and keep going strong!

 

[Nichole77]

Could she be hiding them?

 

[Wynette]

No, unfortunately I can't let mine free range. I work full time, so I wouldn't be home to watch over them, and we do have quite a few red fox in our area (and hawks and owls). They're in a covered outdoor run, with access to a coop. Thanks for the question, though!

 

[SeaChick]

You know, something strange is happening in my coop, too. My girls have been laying pretty strong all winter and suddenly now I am having lots of 2-egg days (down from average 4-egg days a couple weeks ago.) Nothing has changed, if anything days are longer now! I really can't understand it. Do chickens get the Feb/March late-winter blues like people do?????

 

[Wynette]

Interesting question, SeaChick!

I see you have a sex link, barred rock, and austrolorp - I think those are all breeds that should lay well during the shorter days. Maybe yours are close to moult? I know mine shouldn't be moulting until about August, so that's not my issue.

 

[earthnut]

I have a similar problem; I have 2 EE's entering their second year of laying. they each laid 3 eggs in late Feb and haven't laid since. They are healthy, not molting, eating plenty. What else can I do to encourage them to lay? I'm so bummed they won't lay for Easter!

 

[anya40]

Same problem here. My barred rocks layed perfectly all winter. Never missed a beat. The last 2 weeks I have only gotten 1 or 2 eggs a day. (I have 6 girls left thanks to my dog). This changed yesterday and I got 6 eggs again. I guess they just go through changes that we don't understand. I've noticed with all this rain that we have had here that they seem to get upset when it is raining. They will go out for a few minutes and run back into the barn all wet. I wonder if the weather changes have anything to do with it. Although, yesterday when I got all the eggs it was raining like cats and dogs. Who knows? I'm sure your girls will get back at it soon. They just seem to do that once in a while and I wouldn't worry too much about it.