Why still faking?

[ceeceeholt]

It has been 3 weeks since my 3 RIR hens have laid. Yes, it is hot outside and they are molting, but they go into the nesting boxes everyday and sit then jump down and sing and sing "look what I did". I go in and look and NOTHING! But, they are so proud! Maybe, it's freezer camp time. They are 19 months old! Is this normal for weather and molting? They are all 3 healthy, eatting and very bossy

Thank you for any help!

 

[ChicKat]

Interesting behavior---

For a minute I thought it would be funny to say 'It's simple, the chickens are delusional'. It is as if they have an imaginary egg. Perhaps laying was such a habit that they go through the motions, eventhough there is no egg. I have a BPR who is my largest bird. (I have heard that the larger the animal the more it retains thermal body mass--thus explaining Mastadons, giant Saber-Toothed Tiger, and Giant Sloth in the Ice Age) -- she seems really bothered by the heat more than my other two who are definitely smaller and weigh less.

Here is a link to articles:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/keeping-chickens/does-high-temperature-affect-egg-production/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/chicken-health/moulting-in-hens-and-chickens/

quite a lot on that site about molting.

.... I think that your chickens are facing a 'double whammy' (scientific term)--- the heat and the molt. If these are some of your larger birds, and you have others that continue to lay, but are smaller, it reinforces my 'the bigger the hen, the more she is bothered by the heat theory'.

 

[HEChicken]

19 months is too young for them to be past it, but if they are molting they won't continue to sit in the nest box each day - in a full molt, their body will cease to produce eggs so they will no longer "feel the urge".

I would suspect egg eating. You could try putting an egg in the nest box and see if it is still there at the end of the day?

 

[ceeceeholt]

I've actually sat and watched them. Sometimes they go in for an hour sometimes 10 minutes. Sit, turn around and then jump down and sing. Even peeks back in just to check, like they see something I don't. I've even see them go in and sit on another's hens egg and then get back down and sing! I have others older and they are laying just fine. They get layer pellets and oyster shells and a treat now and then

.

 

[chisNchickens]

Four of my hens just started laying and I usually get a double yolker every day! BUT one of mine - my EE - goes in and sits and gets out and nothing. Sometimes she goes in and sits several times. I have only gotten two out of her. Otherwise she is fine...normal for a hen just starting? Dunno...

 

[HEChicken]

Oh, I did just have another thought on this. I have a BO who threw an ovary a few months back. She still goes in and sits in the nest for a couple hours every day but hasn't actually laid an egg ever since. Its possible there is something like this going on for you?

 

[ceeceeholt]

Quote:
How do you know she did that? Were there signs or did you take her to a vet? That's interesting! I'd like to know more. Still doing it. Today, another RIR sat in the next backwards, no egg???

 

[HEChicken]

It was in the nest box next to the rest of the eggs. It was approx egg sized but meaty - kind of looked like cooked white chicken meat. My BR snatched it out of my hand while I was examining it and ran away to eat it

I didn't know what it was at first so found some pics on google images that looked very similar and posted them on here to get opinions. The responses I got were that it was probably an ovary and that more than likely she wouldn't lay any more. It turns out the latter was right. I have a soft spot in my heart for her though and she is the flock leader so she still has a role to play in my flock. Its kind of weird that she doesn't seem to know she's not laying any more and sits in the nest for 1-2 hours each day, just as though she were laying.