Sitting without laying

[horsewishr]

My RIR goes through the motions of laying just about every day. But she's only laid one egg in the last 10 days or so (yesterday). And it was misshapen (blunt on both ends) and brittle-shelled. She's not broody. She just sits in the nest for twenty minutes or so every morning.

My other three girls are laying beautiful eggs almost every day. They're all heavier breeds. Could it just be that the RIR isn't a good winter layer? Or might something else be going on. She doesn't appear uncomfortable.

 

[devora]

Thought RIRs were machines, but not sure b/c we don't have any. Ours did that faux-lay gig a lot when they started months ago, and they sometimes do it these days. But eventually an egg would pop out, even if it took a few days. Hmmmm, is this what the 'winter shutdown' is like?