Single hen

[bronze]

Is there anyway to tell a chickens age? Like with horses you look at their teeth. I'm asking because both my girls have stopped laying and I was already suss that the breeder sold us a couple of old girls as POL us being new naive chicken owners and all that.

It's the only thing I can think of as to why they aren't laying unless of course Betty keeling over shocked them that much. I would have thought they were over it by now.

[xChicken04x]

iam not sure about the age thing but maybe they stopped laying because they will be moulting soon?

[bronze]

Peggy moulted recently

oh but I do hope thats what it is

[The Dogmother]

Could be a few things Hon

Moulting, brooding, worms.. the list is endless.

Someone else I know had a similar experience with being sold 'old chooks'

[bronze]

They don't seem broody

Also they're not due for a deworming but I'll give them a course anyway to be on the safe side.

May have to buy eggs for a few months (DH won't be happy that was part of the deal) and even if they are old girls I'll be getting some layers in the next oooh 5 months (unless they're all males! )

[Lesley-Jean]

Not sure if this helps much:

 

Several features may be used as a guide to the age of a chicken. Young birds have unwrinkled combs with sharp points. In older birds, the comb becomes wrinkled with blunt points. The plumage becomes worn and faded in older birds, unless the birds have just moulted. With age, the subcutaneous fat becomes darker and lumped under the main feather tracts, and the pelvic bones become less pliable. Old chickens have large scales which are rough and slightly raised and their oil sac becomes enlarged and hardened.

[Sheilaz]

...Peggy moulted recently...

 

I'd be surprised if a bird which was POL in Jan. has already had a moult, although I might be wrong.

 

I have 3 GNRs who have laid for 2 years but have all stopped, or are taking a long break. The same age PPs are still 6 eggs a week & whitestar is intermittent and only lays after Shellstim

 

As Claret says though, there are so many reasons, so you could try process of elimination looking for parasites & worming, and give them some Shellstim (it is expensive initially but goes a long way) & tonic too.

 

If they freerange, I'd look for a clutch in a nest, just a thought.