Ex-broody hen not laying eggs 4 MONTHS after hatching

[sophi3]

Here is mama hen keeping watch over her GROWN 4 month old babies, who are fully capable of taking care of themselves. She has fully regained her pre-brooding weight for atleast 2 months, and molted after brooding, still no eggs. Am at a loss. They hatched in december and it's now beginning autumn (southern hemisphere), but it's only getting a little bit colder. She has been eating layer feed for a month and a half.

Extra on their funny sleeping situation:
She was still trying to sleep with them in the nesting box until a few days ago when I blocked it off. They didn't even fit in the box properly. But now are stacking like a funny sandwich and attempting to "roost" underneath each other. I hope having the nesting box for laying and not for sleeping will help with egg production.

Not sure how to tell mama hen that her children are now teenagers who don't need to be coddled and that she needs to come back from maternity leave. Help!

 

[aart]

Could be the decreasing day length, could be the fact that she's still 'brooding' the 'chicks', could be a combo.
I'd have blocked them from sleeping in the nests long ago,
like by the time the chicks were about 6wks old.
Do you have other chickens?
Do they free range?

 

[sophi3]

Could be the decreasing day length, could be the fact that she's still 'brooding' the 'chicks', could be a combo.
I'd have blocked them from sleeping in the nests long ago,
like by the time the chicks were about 6wks old.
Do you have other chickens?
Do they free range?

Would have blocked them off long ago also but I've been away at uni and am only back for 2wks - and then will be gone again till june. Parents r not the most interested in their welfare. These are the only chickens, I've also only just started letting them out to roam around the yard when I got back, since last time I was here they were small enough to get snatched by a kookaburra.

 

[aart]

I've also only just started letting them out to roam around the yard when I got back

Ah, well, I thought maybe she was laying out in a free range area.
You might just have to wait and see.

I was going to suggest an exam:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

Then maybe:
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop/run for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

She has been eating layer feed for a month and a half.

What was she eating before that?

 

[sophi3]

Ah, well, I thought maybe she was laying out in a free range area.
You might just have to wait and see.

I was going to suggest an exam:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

Then maybe:
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop/run for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.


What was she eating before that?

Will try feeling around her butt - she was eating chick feed before that

 

[sophi3]

Ah, well, I thought maybe she was laying out in a free range area.
You might just have to wait and see.

I was going to suggest an exam:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

Then maybe:
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop/run for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.


What was she eating before that?

Put an egg in the nestbox to stimulate her - she decided to go broody and sit on it!

 

[sophi3]

Part 2 to
"Thread 'Ex-broody hen not laying eggs 4 MONTHS after hatching'"
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-laying-eggs-4-months-after-hatching.1619456/

TLDR; Hasn't layed in 4 months post hatching and her fullgrown children still want to sleep in the nest with her.

I just put an egg in the nest to stimulate laying: she's now sitting on it and has decided to go broody. Took out nestbox like I do each night now so they roost properly, but what do I do? Will she start laying again now she wants to fill up the nest? Or is she too full of hormones now? Thinking of splitting the coop in half so she isn't with her kids 24/7 and also can't sit in the nestbox.

 

[aart]

Put an egg in the nestbox to stimulate her - she decided to go broody and sit on it!

Oh, that stinks!!
The fake eggs are not to stimulate laying,
just show them a safe place to lay...or brood.

You may just have a perpetual broody.
Wonders what she'll do once her offspring start to lay.