WEIRD time to STOP LAYING????

[Echobabe]

Hi there--
My almost 2 year old RIR just went through her 1st molt (2nd winter). She never stopped laying through her molt, just slowed to every other day. My other girls have started laying again, but 'Nugget' has completely stopped now.

She still visits the nest on and off, but no eggs. She doesn't seem to have one stuck, either. Other than no eggs, she seems perfectly healthy and happy.

I thought molting and no laying were supposed to happen at the same time? I thought she was weird when she kept giving eggs over the winter, now this? I'm baffled.

 

[Echobabe]

Wow guys, this is the longest I've ever gone without ONE response. I'm feelin' kinda lonely!

 

[bulldog-girl]

Hi, I am new to chickens so I can't help you with advise but thought I would give you a reply.

Seems to early for her to stop laying for good. Maybe she is taking her "Post Molting rest". Does she free range? I have one that likes to lay in our barn. I have to go and get her eggs every day.

 

[Echobabe]

This started about the time I took their free range rights away due to a hawk attack. She isn't in distress, or eating the eggs (she was crated in the house during the attack).

If she is taking a time off its probably a good idea--because her eggs were looking weird shaped just before she stopped laying.

These birds are constantly doing things that make me scratch my head in wonderment.

 

[jlmann]

Maybe she just needed a break? Mine stop laying through their molts and for a good while after probably normal

 

[Grant6411]

ok ill be the first one whose over 100 posts to post here.


do not worry about it. she will start again. probably was just broody during molt, and now it ended maybe shes not broody. keep watching though.


and

all of u

 

[Grant6411]

oops didnt see u there bulldog. but i know alot about chickens.

 

[Echobabe]

She still doesn't lay eggs, and her pelvic bones are less than 3 inches in both directions so I assume her reproductive system just dried up. She's now living in retirement, and is remarkably quiet and content.

 

[Dutchgirl]

We had an EE that stopped laying around age three. Sure, she would lay the occasional egg, we always knew -- they were long and green, opposed to the younger EE's, which were round and blue. Now, at six years old, she has begun laying again. That is, until recently. She became broody for the first time in her life. She's been at it for around a month and is still at it.

I really don't know what happened.