Slow chicken or something else?

[chickneggs]

I have six chickens; two Ameraucanas, two Orpingtons, and two Australorps. They have been together since the beginning; a little over a year ago. I have five I know are laying, but one of my Orpingtons has ONLY laid one egg. And that was back in April. Is that normal? The most I may get a day is five eggs and so I know between that and the different colors in eggs, it's for sure one of my Orpingtons that is not laying. Is she just slow or is there more of an issue I should look into? The majority of my chickens, if not all (besides the one), started laying last fall...

 

[donrae]

Do you have a pic of your Orps? Do you know for sure they're not simply taking turns?

 

[chickneggs]

This is her first egg from last month-it being so small, I figured her next couple would be a bit smaller as well-just like when the other chickens began laying. And I've only gotten this one small egg. Every other one is normal sized, making me think it's from the other one. And this isn't the best picture of them, but this is the most recent from a couple months ago. But Goldilocks is the one on the ground-she likes to follow me around and then the second one is the third one on the fence. I thought I would get at least six eggs every now and then. I know chickens don't always lay everyday, but just like when I got this little one, I thought I'd get six every now and then...?

 

[donrae]

A tiny egg like that isn't usually first egg or a pullet egg, it's what we often call a fart or wind egg. They usually don't have a yolk, but occasionally do. It's just a glitch in their systems.

Orps aren't always the best layers in the world, but with your Aussies you should be getting an egg a day on some days, like you said.

An up close pic of her would help.

Do they free range at all? Any chance of hiding an egg? My other thought would be to confine her alone for a few days and see what you get.

 

[chickneggs]

They free range, but only a little. I live in a neighborhood on two lots, so free ranging all day long is not possible. (Plus I've watched a hawk swoop down right in front of me, trying to take one. So I fear that happening again while I'm gone. They are like my children. ) So when they're out, so am I for however much time. So I know she's not hiding an egg. I've had one chicken lay in the run before, but that's only been one time. I keep my eye open for that too though. But since a couple of my chickens first laid small eggs like that, I thought it was her beginning, but maybe her system is just glitched completely?? I don't really wanna separate either of the Orpingtons only because they are happy where they're at in the pecking order and I do have a bully Australorp that I'm working on trying to get down further in the order. She only gets separated at times. But I will get a better picture for you of the Orpingtons asap...

 

[chickneggs]

Okay, here you go. Two pics from two angles. The one a little bit larger is Goldilocks. She's a couple steps higher in the order. She is also my brooder who sits on the UNfertilized eggs. (Lol) I'm not sure really which one of them is not laying. I just know it's one of them. The other one is a bit shy, so I haven't gotten as close to her as Goldilocks...

 

[chickneggs]

Thank you for your help. I think you may be right. Takes a lot of stress off my back.