Should I get this free hen?

[silverseam]

I have two hens right now. One lays about 5 eggs a week and the other is not laying. I got her as an older pullet and now she is in a mild molt and, even though she is big and healthy, is not laying.

I would like to add another hen to my tiny flock and I saw an ad on craigslist that says this...


Quote:
My question is, would there be any reason for her to NOT begin laying again? Is two years old too old to lay regularly? I don't need a daily layer, but I'd love to get 4-5 eggs a week from each hen.

My hen that is not laying is also some sort of Americauna mix. Is there a known problem with Americaunas not laying regularly or with long molting times with no laying?

Thanks for any information!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I haven't had that many Ameraucanas but they were good layers and similar to most DP breeds.
Birds that haven't been laying and continued to be fed a layer ration can have a renal issue and may be poor layers if they ever lay again.
Spring is a weird time of year to stop laying.

 

[azygous]

Yes, the fact she stopped laying in spring should send up a red flag. Also, extended molt may indicate health issues. You would have to figure out how to get her jolted out of molt before you could expect eggs.

Other than those issues, which are of considerable concern, two years old is not too old to have several more years of laying ahead of her.

If it were me, I would just buy few baby chicks and raise them. It's more fun, and you know what kind of care is going into making them the layers you require for enlarging your flock.