Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

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Sally, I have one white egg layer (a Leghorn) and she has not laid for 5 days either. Maybe they are on strike! She's been eating and acting normally. I checked her over and even gave her a warm water soaking in case she was egg bound and I couldn't feel it. Later that evening, when I let them roam in the garden, I found out why she hasn't been laying. She has decided she would rather be a rooster! Her main goal seems to be fertilizing the eggs of my EE. Very convincing performance on her part, complete with the appropriate looking fluids.
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If I didn't know better, I would think I got a rooster with girly feathers.
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Besides excessive testosterone, just about anything can put them off laying if they are sensitive. Any changes in weather, wind, food, routine, flock make up, parasites (check for mites?), being scared (hawks, dogs). I had a worm problem this winter and most of them really slowed down. She might be molting? Or sick, but no visible symptoms yet. (If you see them being lethargic and puffy looking, that is a sign of disease.) Other things include internal laying and being egg bound.

Is she a new layer? Could just be getting the kinks out. Or, I'm reaching here, is it possible that the first eggs were just super pale cream and now they have darkened to brown?

You've probably thought of all of these, and I agree that it's sometimes worse for them to subject them to examination (if you can catch them!). Pulling one off the roost after night will work if you want to. Hope there's nothing wrong. I'm still worried about my rooster-girl.
 
Wishing4Wings said:
Quote: No coop building needed! The first coop holds 30, the second 8, and the third will hold "2-4". I was going to put the 4 LF and 2 bantam in that one. Stretching it a bit, but I will see when I get it. It probably is only good for 2 LF or 4 bantams. IDK.
Plus I have the storage room, a metal 10X10 shed, the whole basement, a stairway, front and back sun rooms, a mud room, 2 bedrooms upstairs ...
droolin.gif

Sallysec said:
Hey guys a quick question....I had someone laying white eggs for a few days...and then it just stopped. I say someone now because one of my chicks has been identified as possibly being a white egg layer. So I knew I had only one bird ordered that would lay white eggs + this mystery chicken....so I think I know who was laying but one never knows...now all of a sudden no one is laying a white egg....this entire week. Should I be concerned? I picked up one of the girls and checked her out and she looks fine acts normal. The other one is just too skittish and fast and I don't want to freak her out even more for me to try and corner her to handle her. So I started to think if I had changed anything...not really ...more natural light and outside time. I hunted around for an egg outside the pen thinking maybe she was hiding it during her free time. nope....so today I basically kept them in for the second day to see if she would lay one...nada.

Suggestions? should i just not be concerned?
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New layers can go weeks without laying again.
Sallysec said:
BTW MoptorcycleChick that is why I have never been to a tractor supply store....my husband is afraid I will get hijacked by some baby chicks.
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I know! It is all their fault I have chickens!
Wishing4Wings said:
Sally, I have one white egg layer (a Leghorn) and she has not laid for 5 days either. Maybe they are on strike! She's been eating and acting normally. I checked her over and even gave her a warm water soaking in case she was egg bound and I couldn't feel it. Later that evening, when I let them roam in the garden, I found out why she hasn't been laying. She has decided she would rather be a rooster! Her main goal seems to be fertilizing the eggs of my EE. Very convincing performance on her part, complete with the appropriate looking fluids.
hmm.png
If I didn't know better, I would think I got a rooster with girly feathers.
roll.png


Besides excessive testosterone, just about anything can put them off laying if they are sensitive. Any changes in weather, wind, food, routine, flock make up, parasites (check for mites?), being scared (hawks, dogs). I had a worm problem this winter and most of them really slowed down. She might be molting? Or sick, but no visible symptoms yet. (If you see them being lethargic and puffy looking, that is a sign of disease.) Other things include internal laying and being egg bound.

Is she a new layer? Could just be getting the kinks out. Or, I'm reaching here, is it possible that the first eggs were just super pale cream and now they have darkened to brown?

You've probably thought of all of these, and I agree that it's sometimes worse for them to subject them to examination (if you can catch them!). Pulling one off the roost after night will work if you want to. Hope there's nothing wrong. I'm still worried about my rooster-girl.
Click to expand...
A) you have an odd chicken
B) It could be that it was a light brown egg looking white.
C) The one running is probably not laying.
D) I remember one thing I wanted to say earlier. RIR roosters are known to be the most likely to be mean. My surprise rooster (I ordered all pullets) is a RIR, and 9-mos-old. No problems yet.
The hens are not (to my knowledge) known to be mean.
Click to expand...
 
Oh! I finally got the run made for the poor Brat's Angels. I think this one will work better than the last one (that they escaped quickly).
I finished it in the storm, and they popped out almost as soon as I opened the door after the first cycle of the storm. Then the second cycle started, and they couldn't find the door. I got soaked trying to help them. After about ten minutes an EE found the door, and decided to roost there while the others waited in line getting wetter. Finally the second EE got in, and I went in the house.
 
Hatching eggs will be here tomorrow. Broody is still waiting and sitting on her golf ball and (probably rotten) egg. Tomorrow practice ends and baby chicks begin.
 
I think it is official. Leghorn chicks are LOUD! I thought I was not keeping them comfortable. I knew my first chicks were quiet. The second batch seemed quiet, but they were in the garage. The Leghorn chicks did get quiet after a few weeks. Day two with the current chicks, and they were even quiet during the storms (which were strong).
If I do Leghorns again, it will be outside where I don't have to hear them! !
 
MotorcycleChick said:
I think it is official. Leghorn chicks are LOUD! I thought I was not keeping them comfortable. I knew my first chicks were quiet. The second batch seemed quiet, but they were in the garage. The Leghorn chicks did get quiet after a few weeks. Day two with the current chicks, and they were even quiet during the storms (which were strong).
If I do Leghorns again, it will be outside where I don't have to hear them! !
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My best friend always gets Leghorns and always is sorry because they are the loudest things ever! (of course she's not sorry once the eggs come in!)
 

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