Year old hens never laid an egg

[alsykes2000]

Do you think they are not laying because you are not getting any blue/green eggs? Not all EE lay them.


It can take more than a day here and there.
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.

I spend a good amount of time outside with them in my garden everyday and they follow me around. I know when they go back to the coop, and then the egg song. There’s only 8 of them. I have their timing down, not because I’m focused on it, but because I’m outside almost all day, every day. My chickens are very habitual. I have a couple more Easter eggers (one lays a large oblong green egg, the other lays a medium sized baby blue egg) the others are speckled welsummer eggs. Also, one of my welsummers announces every egg that they all lay, and every time one of them is in the box….
she’s extremely loud .

 

[Snakebiteholloway]

I have 2 hens from Murray mcmurray hatchery that are over a year old, both are “Ameraucana” but really Easter eggers. I’m wondering if anyone else has experienced this? I got them along with 6 other in April 2023. All the other girls have been laying for months. They are on high quality feed, are allowed to free range all day in my 2 acre fenced in yard, plus they get healthy kitchen scraps several times a week. And I have looked everywhere, they don’t have a hidden stash.

My EEs last year didn't lay either. I'm trying again with 6 more this year because i like the personalities.
Not sure what's going on with them. Kinda a mutt breed, so i wonder about genetic traits.
I wonder if anyone else has this?

 

[Snakebiteholloway]

My EEs last year didn't lay either. I'm trying again with 6 more this year because i like the personalities.
Not sure what's going on with them. Kinda a mutt breed, so i wonder about genetic traits.
I wonder if anyone else has this?

I should add mine also came from murray via TSC.

 

[alsykes2000]

I should add mine also came from murray via TSC.

Strange, there’s not much information on the subject. It’s just assumed that all hens lay.

 

[nuthatched]

Strange, there’s not much information on the subject. It’s just assumed that all hens lay.

Not all women ovulate. And chickens outnumber women by 1000s to 1.

 

[alsykes2000]

Not all women ovulate. And chickens outnumber women by 1000s to 1.

It’s odd if 2 out of the 8 don’t lay, maybe they are late bloomers, but I’m starting to lose hope that they will.

 

[Snakebiteholloway]

Strange, there’s not much information on the subject. It’s just assumed that all hens lay.

I guess it varies by breed, seems sensical but as you say, strangely undiscussed! I reached out after this first post to some pals with several EEs and it would seem, at least with us 4 chicken buddies, this is a common problem. I had 8 previously, and checking my chicken log for two years back to present i see i only got average 2 greenish eggs weekly. All my others were dark brown egg layers i had prior to the EEs. Not good producers this far north? Too hybridized? Interesting. And sadly, makes me wish i hadn't just bought 6 more!

 

[alsykes2000]

I’m going to take the 2 girls to the our family ranch, where there are some roosters and slowly introduce them. I’ve seen posts of people saying that doesn’t necessarily make them lay, but I’ve also heard from others that it does work. I am going to try it and see for myself. I’ll update. Thanks for the replies.