# chickens not laying



## happychick (May 13, 2020)

I have buff orpingtons. They laid all winter and all summer last year and then went into molt this past winter. Now they look healthy but don't seem to be laying. Have two younger hens and that is the amount of eggs I get a day......2. Can't figure out why the 7 other hens aren't laying. They don't like the laying pellets anymnore either. I think the content has been changed as have a friend who also said his hens don't like the laying pellets. any ideas why these hens don't seem to be laying.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

How old are the older girls? And where did they come from, a feed store type place?

I've seen mine do the same thing over the years. I'll switch until they say they want their other back and go on for years before they turn their beaks up at it again.

If your birds' eyes are round and bright. There are no mites or internal parasites there might not be an explanation. Except when did you add the younger girls? If recent it could be why the older ones are not laying.


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## happychick (May 13, 2020)

robin416 said:


> How old are the older girls? And where did they come from, a feed store type place?
> 
> I've seen mine do the same thing over the years. I'll switch until they say they want their other back and go on for years before they turn their beaks up at it again.
> 
> If your birds' eyes are round and bright. There are no mites or internal parasites there might not be an explanation. Except when did you add the younger girls? If recent it could be why the older ones are not laying.


they will be 2 yr old this summer. they have gone thru 1 molt............this past winter. I got from from an individual who hatched them. 
the one hen went broody last year and hatched a nest of eggs. the two younger ones are from that hatch. Funny..........they sort of keep to themselves and don't mix in a lot with the older ones. The older ones have bright red combs.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Anything changed? Like farming going on? A new coop?

They don't like change much and will quit laying if something happens or is happening. Once they get used to it they go back to normal.


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## happychick (May 13, 2020)

they will be 2 yr old this summer. they have gone thru 1 molt............this past winter. I got from from an individual who hatched them.
the one hen went broody last year and hatched a nest of eggs. the two younger ones are from that hatch. Funny..........they sort of keep to themselves and don't mix in a lot with the older ones. The older ones have bright red combs.


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## happychick (May 13, 2020)

There is nothing that would have upset them.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I really don't know, they're certainly not too old to stop laying. If the molt was a few months ago that shouldn't be the issue. 

Maybe someone else will have an idea later today.


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## Sylie (May 4, 2018)

I'm not sure on this one either. Do you give them fresh clean water every day? Sometimes they can be really fussy about their water. I went through a spell where my older girls stopped laying for like 6 months, I started washing their water bowl twice a day with fresh clean water in it after and within a few days, they started again. Could have been a coincidence but it never hurts to try


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## Tracik (Jun 18, 2020)

I am having the exact same issue! 3 chicks a little over 2 years old. They haven’t laid in like 2 months!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

As you can see we didn't have much of an answer for the OP. 

The same questions would apply to yours about any changes or stressors happening. 

What breed are they? And everything about them appears to be normal?


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