[skelly]

hi folks,

Since having my hens in March from about 16 weeks, my rhode rock has never laid a single egg. Its as if she is a peter pan!!! She is the biggest of our three different breeds of hens.
It seems as if she is not quite right, in the sense that she just sems to do her own thing etc. she is also content and "appears" healthy. she eats and drinks normal. Poo is normal.
Does anyone have any ides or suggestions as to why she doesn't lay? Could she just be a "runt"?

[Casey76]

Maiden hens aren't unheard of However she could just be biding her time, and she may start to lay whenever.

[orchardlady]

If your hens free range could she be laying away from the hen house? Do a really good look of the areas they have access to. Try and think like a hen. Safe, dark, cover, hard to find areas are often chosen. Under sheds, in old barrels etc. we even found 50 or more under a tarpaulin draped over a small tractor for the winter. Just an idea.

[GrannieAnnie]

I had an Amberlink 'Rosie' who was the runt of the flock and she laid her first egg at 2 and a half years old!  So there's hope for your girl yet!!   

[carolbriar]

I have a light sussex hen and she hasn't laid an egg yet!  She is about 15 months old now.  She would go and sit in the nest box and then come out but never laid an egg.  She was just practicing for the future.

[Laydies]

my Henavie is just the same! she laid about half a dozen eggs when she was around 25 weeks - and then decided that this egg laying thing just wasn't for her and hasn't laid since - however she does wait for one of the other chuckle sisters to lay, and then jumps in the nest box and sits on the egg - this gets removed from under her, and she gets turfed out of the nest box, and she goes off on grub patrol with the others - we call her Barren Karen - we are hoping that she might start to lay in the spring - but never mind if she doesn't, as she is so very lovely....  do you think it might be the Rhode rocks that are slow to lay?

[Doline33]

Normally, a hen starts to lay by the age of 7 / 8 months. Some start sooner others later ... do not worry, you're just a chicken outside the norm... patience.
Is she starting to go in the nest or not yet ?

[skelly]

Well unfortunately I went into the coop yesterday morning and I didn't get the nicest of welcomes.  She was lying on her side motionless except for a very slight twitch from her leg now and again. Her eyes were closed and she was hardly breathing. I had to do the kindest and despatched her. Was heart wrenching.
She seemed fine the night before, if a little quieter than she normally was. When I lifted her to bury her, there was clear fluid running from her mouth???
The other 2 hens were upset and making a noise like I have not heard. They were back to normal later in the day when they had forgotten their little friend.
The other 2 seem fine no ratlles, no lack of energy or anything like that.
Does anyone have any pointers to a possible cause? I am wondering if it was just beacause she was weak (perhaps more so than the visible signs) and the fact that we has pretty sudden sub zero temperatures up here in Scotland (-6).
I will keep an eye on my other 2 girls over the next few days.
Finally i never realised a grown man would be so affected by this and get so attached!!

[joyfull]

sorry to read about your girl, sadly hens like any other animal can have strokes etc and it is possible by the symptoms described that this is what has happened to your girl. It would have been unavoidable and you did the best for her. Hugs xxx

[richard2510]

Sorry to hear of your loss.  Earlier this year we had a Silver Nick that just wouldn't lay.  All the others were happily doing their thing, but she just refused.  One night I went to shut them up as usual, and for no apparent reason she was dead.  No warning signs, no period of illness, she just died. 

I guess sometimes things just aren't right and there's nothing we can do.

Richard