Two weeks since last egg! What is going on?

[bakohens]

My five-month-old BR laid her first egg on July 22. She was fairly consistent - an egg about every other day. And then about a week and a half ago, she was not doing well. I still don't know what was wrong with her, but I thought I was going to lose her. After much babying and some antibiotics, she perked back up, and she is back to normal except that it has been two weeks since she laid an egg. She hasn't laid since August 11th. My other two girls are doing fine.

I know that hens will stop laying if they are stressed, but how long does that normally last? Is it possible that she is now sterile?

Edited to add: It's now three weeks! I'm think I'm going to give her a stern talking to.

Edited to add: She is not sterile!!!!! She laid her first egg in three and a half weeks! It was a true Labor Day for Ouiser!

 

[savingdogs]

I don't think so. I'd just give her some time. Her body just isn't up to reproduction yet. I think they have X amount of eggs that they are pre programmed to lay.

 

[Jessie_Jazz]

I was told that if chickens are stressed they can go off lay for about 6 weeks. Though in reality it is rarely this long.

 

[bakohens]

Thanks for the replies. We're still on Ousier Egg Watch 2010. 2.5 weeks and still no eggs. Luckily for her, her life doesn't depend on her egg production.

 

[badwolf7914]

We are with you as ours are doing the same minus illnesses...

 

[savingdogs]

Mine stop laying whenever we have an especially hot day (our weather is usually mild). They go on strike in the heat!

 

[3chimama]

Same problem here too...;(

 

[Happy Chooks]

Do you see feathers coming off her? She could be going into a molt.

 

[bakohens]

She molted a few weeks before she started laying (about eight weeks ago) so I don't think that's the issue. She seems totally normal; she's just not laying. The other two are plugging right along with an egg almost every day, but Ouiser seems to think that her time could be better spent doing other things like begging for meal worms, chasing doves, and napping in the dogs' bed.

We're approaching Week 3 of Ouiser Egg Watch. . .

 

[OKbirdwatcher]

Not many eggs from our 8 girls either. Been this way for months. 2-3 most days, occasionally 4. One egg yesterday, 0 the day before.

If their laying doesn't pick up some this fall, I don't know how we can just keep feeding them indefinitely for so few eggs. Maybe we expect too much but 50% doesn't seem unreasonable to me.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

Edit: We have been keeping chickens just over a year now. I would be interested to have some feedback from long-time chicken keepers. Might put things in perspective for us.