Visits the nest but doesn't lay

[bawkbawkbawk]

I have a 2.5 year-old Mille Fleur D'Uccle, sweetest little thing. She has been a good little layer.

She stopped laying after her summer molt, then laid a few eggs in December or January, then stopped again.

Lately she has been visiting the nesting area, sitting on the golf balls I keep there for maybe up to an hour, but then leaving without laying an egg.

Shouldn't she be laying by now?

Do D'Uccles stop laying at 2 years?

Should I be worried about internal laying? She behaves completely normally but I have lost several hens to internal laying and they all seemed fine until they didn't….

Could the nest-visiting without laying be that she is preparing to go broody?

 

[foreverlearning]

She could be thinking about being broody, internally laying, have parasites, or just slowed down her production. Feel her to see if you can feel an egg in there and if so treat accordingly. Check her vent and under her wings to rule out lice or mites. If those two aren't the problem then I wouldn't worry.

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

Hi and thanks for replying, foreverlearning.

I looked under her wings scrupulously last night - absolutely clean, not a sign of anything. Forgot to check her vent but will do so. I've had my hens in to the vet off and on and mites have never been mentioned.

She's such a perky little thing, it seems odd that she's all done laying before she's three years old.

I am really hoping she will go broody as I need to rebuild my flock. Keeping fingers crossed!

 

[foreverlearning]

Being broody would be the best thing! Some birds do stop or slow laying after 2 years. It is mostly found in hatchery breeds as they are bred to lay as much as possible in their first year. It is also common for people that force their hens to lay threw winter with extra lighting and threw molts. If you don't feel any eggs stuck in her then I wouldn't worry. Being seen by a vet often would have shown if there were lice, mites, or worms.