Where are those eggs?

[Mac14]

I have an Ancona hen and for the last maybe 3 weeks there has not been any white eggs, I have looked all around the coop and the whole yard and garden and there has been no sign of those eggs. She has been acting completely normal except that her comb is straight up and is used to be flopped to the side. I believe she has been laying since she was 23 weeks old and now she is about 9 months old. All the other hens are brown layers if that helps. I do know she is not molting. She flies out of the coop all of the time so it is very likely she would laying somewhere in the garden or yard, but as I have said I looked everywhere, and considering that I have not seen a egg from her for 3 weeks I would think that if she had a batch of eggs somewhere that they would be easy to spot. So if anyone has any ideas that would be great.

 

[7 Biddies]

Where are those eggs?


Have you looked *in* the chicken?

 

[Mac14]

Where are those eggs?


Have you looked *in* the chicken?

I would rather not. LOL

 

[Mac14]

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

 

[donrae]

The easiest thing is to confine her to the coop for a few days to see if she's laying. I'm not as familiar with Anconas, so I don't know if they lay through the first winter like most of the breeds I'm used to, or if she'll take the winter off due to the shorter days.

edited to add....if she is laying in a hidden nest somewhere, you'd bu suprised at how good they can be at hiding a nest! But remember, from a reproductive/survival standpoint, as far as they're little brains know the survival of the species depends on them hiding those eggs!

 

[7 Biddies]

donrae: LOVE your quote!


"If I'd known the world was ending I'd have brought better books"

 

[Mac14]

The easiest thing is to confine her to the coop for a few days to see if she's laying. I'm not as familiar with Anconas, so I don't know if they lay through the first winter like most of the breeds I'm used to, or if she'll take the winter off due to the shorter days.

edited to add....if she is laying in a hidden nest somewhere, you'd bu suprised at how good they can be at hiding a nest! But remember, from a reproductive/survival standpoint, as far as they're little brains know the survival of the species depends on them hiding those eggs!

I can't confine her in the coop because the other chickens need to lay in there, and their food is in there too and if I locked them all in there then it would get to hot. Ya I should look a little better, but I don't where to look any more. Oh well... sigh. :/
Chickens and their contraptions...
"Women and their contraptions" John Wayne from Hatari

 

[1muttsfan]

Many hens take time off from laying in the winter due to decreasing day length - their survival imperative seem to tell them that is a difficult time to raise chicks successfully.

 

[Mac14]

Never mind. I have found that she is lightly molting. I didn't notice until now! Now I have 3 hens lightly molting! Makes sense why I usually only get 3-5 eggs a day.