One Hen Not Laying?

I have approx. 25 chickens of which 3 are  cockerels. Of the hens I am lucky to get 1 a day at the moment. They are either too young, moulting or just not laying.  I realise this next confession  may get me banded from this forum but I had to but 1/2 doz eggs at the weekend as my partner wanted to make some Lemon Curd. I hope that, it being the Christmas period, I will be forgiven

In my experience, good laying hybrids will happily lay one egg each throughout the first winter at least, and hopefully also the second - but they then tend to have a shorter total laying life than pure breeds, who then start to catch up.  Rather like the hare and the tortoise.

Professional breeders use trap nesting to identify the best layers for breeding, but that's not a realistic option. Why not identify each hen which leaves the box (over a period of time) and pop on a leg ring? Eventually you'll end up with one with no ring.

Apart from that, I can only think of a rather crazy answer (which I haven't tried) - scatter some powder paint in the nestbox and then closely examine their behinds when they're on the perch!

Are you quite sure that one hen isn't free-ranging and has made a nest under a hedge, though?

Alec.

they could all be laying but having a day off every now and then. However if one isn't laying she will probably start around mid February.

AlecF - Thanks, some good ideas there but the problem is the 4 eggs are laid in the very early hours. We let them out at first light, currently about 7:15 - 7:30 and the eggs are laid and cold. There are 3 nest boxs and at least two of the hens sleep in the nest boxes at night so although a good idea I dont think the powder paint would work, but maybe worth a shot.

8doubles - I'll check for the comb colour tomorrow, thanks for that.

joyfull - We did wonder if that might be the case but if so you would have thought that the numbers might have fluctuated more instead of being steady at 4 a day.

Think I might try the powder paint option and note which ones are sleeping in the box the night before or maybe I could even block the other two so they have to lay in the same box.

ha ha, well back to the drawing board, I had kinda assumed we had had 4 eggs at daybreak - but my wife just informed me there were only 3 - so we are still at 4 a day instead of 5!!

So, back to plan A, one is not laying, would love to know just out of curiosity.