Young hen laying then just STOPPED?

[Munkeesmama]

We have a cochin hen who began laying almost 3 months ago. She laid just about every day or every other day. Then a little over a month ago just STOPPED. Nothing changed. No food change. She doesn't appear sick. No birds in or out. We can't figure it out. Luckily, our barred rock began laying about a week ago, but we're pretty frustrated that our little banty cochin has just stopped inexplicably. They only get scratch out in the yard about once a week. I've upped their protein, she has oyster shell. what gives?

 

[Tiss]

I'd love to hear the answer. I have a BR who has laid faithfully since August. I haven't seen an egg from her in 2 weeks. I have even locked her in the coop to make sure she isn't hiding them somewhere. She seems happy and healthy.

 

[tuesdays chicks]

Are your birds sitting an empty nest. Mine laid 15 days straight then went broody. She has been trying to hatch a golfball getting hatching eggs this week.

 

[Chicky Tocks]

I'm having the same issues with an Olive Egger and an EE pullet. They both laid faithfully for a couple of weeks from their point of lay and then just stopped. The Olive Egger did half-heartedly try to go broody and hatch a golf ball, but she's been off her nest for a couple of weeks yet and still hasn't laid an egg. I've started giving that pen some cayenne pepper and hope to see a blue and an olive green egg soon. If not, I'm going to start sitting down and reading them bedtime stories featuring chicken and dumplings.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Some birds are going into molt this can make them stop laying. Growing new feathers takes an incredible amount of protein as does producing an egg. If their feed does not provide enough protein to sustain both functions then feathering takes precedent.

Upping the protein once the “problem occurs” is often too late to reverse the effects quickly. Feeding a 20% protein thru the year, I have found that my girls will molt and still lay. Even my “full body” molts lay.



A pullet or hen who has gone broody, will usually talk 5 to 6 weeks before her body is ready to produce eggs again. Her body stays on egg hiatus until her chicks are closer to taking care of themselves while she lays, and she has built her reserves back up (that deplete while she is broody on the nest).

 

[Chicky Tocks]

I've considered molting as well, but my birds are only 7-8 months old and are as fluffy as fluffy can be. I've never had a chicken start a hard molt before they were at least 18 months old. My EE and Buff Orp pen are however in serious molt right now, but these are almost 3 year old hens. The Olive Egger that feigned broodiness never plucked a feather from her chest. She would only sit on the nest and sqawk like a broody for a few hours in the day and then she'd be off and freeranging with the rest of them. Neither of them appear egg bound or uncomfortable in any way. No worms, no mites or lice, no stress in the pen. They're in with a flock of black coppers and their's are the eggs I want the most. That's why they stopped laying the little stinks! They know I want more olive eggers.

 

[Tiss]

My BR was hatched in March and isn't sitting on the nest at all. That rules out broodiness or molting. She's not acting strangely at all and everyone else is laying fine. I just hope she starts back up sometime.

 

[sweetchicks]

Well I'm have the same problem! We have 20 hens that are 7 months old, have been laying great since end of July. We were getting 18-20 eggs per day and the last few weeks we have been getting 8-12 eggs per day. I'm so confused as to why my hens are on STRIKE! I spoke to the lady at the feed store and she said for me to stop feeding them cracked corn as a treat and start feeding them table scaps. She said that was better than the corn because it is a "filler" and not good for egg production. But when I tell that to old timers they do not agree. So once again I'm CONFUSED!! Does anyone have any better advice?

 

[Munkeesmama]

She was hatched in april so i doubt she's molting, also there's not really any feathers anywhere. She is also not broody at all, not even pretending to be (she's too busy bossing everyone around) She is on layena feed, which I think has pretty good protein in it. Not sure what else to try.