# Hen Laying problem???



## SouthTown Racers (Jan 14, 2009)

I have a new hen this year who I cant get to lay an egg. She is a 09, and has been paired up with the same cock for 2 months now. I have seen the pair mate, they coo in the nest box together, and build a big nest, but no eggs. She will sit tight to the empty nest for a few days and even wing slap my hand, and then give up. The pair then repeats the entire process of mating, nest building, etc. They have been through this routine 3 times now, and no eggs. Do you think there could be something wrong with her reproductive organs??

This hen is a 09 and has never been bred from before....I dont think she has ever laid a single egg in her life.


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## First To Hatch (Jul 19, 2009)

I have a friend that had a pigeon for three years great racer won money and races. Didn't lay an egg in three years!! Gave her back to my mentor to see if being in her true home would help. Maybe she doesn't like not being home?


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## SouthTown Racers (Jan 14, 2009)

First To Hatch said:


> I have a friend that had a pigeon for three years great racer won money and races. Didn't lay an egg in three years!! Gave her back to my mentor to see if being in her true home would help. Maybe she doesn't like not being home?


I would maybe agree with you if it wasnt for all the nest building...she looks right at home to me.


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## raftree3 (Oct 16, 2010)

I have a pair exactly the same. 08 cock and 09 hen. Maybe my best cock on paper and has bred a futurity winner with another hen and paired with a pretty nice hen....gone through all the motions but no egg so I'm blaming the problem on the hen and plan to just pair the cock with another hen and see if any of my friends want to try this hen.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

SouthTown Racers said:


> I would maybe agree with you if it wasnt for all the nest building...she looks right at home to me.


I can say I have never heard of a hen without eggs... yes it could be a reproductive problemo.. but if "she" has never laid eggs before.. then she maybe a feminate cock. now if she has a history with someone else and she indeed layed then.. then you know she has a reproductive problem.


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## SouthTown Racers (Jan 14, 2009)

raftree3 said:


> I have a pair exactly the same. 08 cock and 09 hen. Maybe my best cock on paper and has bred a futurity winner with another hen and paired with a pretty nice hen....gone through all the motions but no egg so I'm blaming the problem on the hen and plan to just pair the cock with another hen and see if any of my friends want to try this hen.


Kinda frustrating huh?


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## SouthTown Racers (Jan 14, 2009)

spirit wings said:


> I can say I have never heard of a hen without eggs... yes it could be a reproductive problemo.. but if "she" has never laid eggs before.. then she maybe a feminate cock. now if she has a history with someone else and she indeed layed then.. then you know she has a reproductive problem.


Trust me shes a hen


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

SouthTown Racers said:


> Trust me shes a hen


has she layed eggs before? if so then you know she does have a problem.


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## SouthTown Racers (Jan 14, 2009)

spirit wings said:


> has she layed eggs before? if so then you know she does have a problem.


She has always been kept with other hens. She has never seen another cock until this year.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I think the choices are.

Infertile male / infertile female = zero eggs

Fertile male / infertile female = zero eggs


Male any / male any = zero eggs


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## SouthTown Racers (Jan 14, 2009)

spirit wings said:


> I think the choices are.
> 
> Infertile male / infertile female = zero eggs
> 
> ...


A infertile hen will still lay eggs. I guess Im wondering if anybody has ever had a hen that had damaged ovaries or some kind of ovarian problem to where a hen could not produce an egg at all??


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

the hens job is to lay eggs..the cocks is to fertilize them..so if a hen does not lay..she is infertile..so to speak or is a cock.. I had a hen who did not lay for long while, she started going light..so had her examined..she had a big tumor blocking the eggs..she had an old egg still inside..she was put down and we opened her up to see what the problem was, I was surprized to say the least and thought I had a sickness going on ...but it was her alone who had a problem.


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## SouthTown Racers (Jan 14, 2009)

Haha...I meant a hen will still lay infertile eggs. Yeah, that's the thing I'm worried about, a tumor or some other internal problem. Or could she just be taking her sweet time because she has never done this before?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

SouthTown Racers said:


> Haha...I meant a hen will still lay infertile eggs. Yeah, that's the thing I'm worried about, a tumor or some other internal problem. Or could she just be taking her sweet time because she has never done this before?


an 09 should beable to lay eggs.. so there is a problem with the hen at this point.


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## raftree3 (Oct 16, 2010)

In my case the hen mated to another cock raised two rounds of babies last year with a large time gap between rounds. I hate to give up on her but that's life I guess.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

raftree3 said:


> In my case the hen mated to another cock raised two rounds of babies last year with a large time gap between rounds. I hate to give up on her but that's life I guess.


hey, at least she DID lay eggs..so you know she was doing her part.


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## First To Hatch (Jul 19, 2009)

I also heard a story of a guy had a hen paired with a cock she wouldn't lay the next year he had her with a different cock and she laid. But she sounds like she likes her cock. I heard if a hen gets salmonella at a very young age they will never lay an egg maybe 1 maybe 2. Why don't you call up the previous owner and ask him if she ever laid for him.


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## APF_LOFT (Aug 9, 2010)

SouthTown Racers said:


> I have a new hen this year who I cant get to lay an egg. She is a 09, and has been paired up with the same cock for 2 months now. I have seen the pair mate, they coo in the nest box together, and build a big nest, but no eggs. She will sit tight to the empty nest for a few days and even wing slap my hand, and then give up. The pair then repeats the entire process of mating, nest building, etc. They have been through this routine 3 times now, and no eggs. Do you think there could be something wrong with her reproductive organs??
> 
> This hen is a 09 and has never been bred from before....I dont think she has ever laid a single egg in her life.


take this link


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## raftree3 (Oct 16, 2010)

APF_LOFT said:


> take this link


Good article Bro!


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## Alamo (Nov 22, 2008)

I had a hen from a father/daughter mating....One beautifull hen...She never laid any eggs..So I gave her eggs from another pair...She and her mate raised the babies...But she still didn`t lay any eggs...Sorry to say,I had to get rid of her.....Alamo


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## raftree3 (Oct 16, 2010)

I thought about giving my pair some eggs but I didn't want to waste them and also thought about giving them some fake ones and then taking them away to see if that might make something happen but in the end I'll probably not waste the time and put the cock with another hen.


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## Woodnative (Jul 4, 2010)

Try switching mates to be sure. Hoever, things can happen just like in other animals. I had a young hen I bought from a breeder (She had laid eggs her first year) that never laid an egg for me. She would go through all the motions like yours and would sit on fake eggs if I threw them in there. Something must have happened that made her infertile. Still, give her an honest chance first.


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## First To Hatch (Jul 19, 2009)

Ya know, I heard a cock will mount another cock, so unless she has laid right in front of you/or prior owner, how can one be really sure?

Someone told me "If it lays an egg its a hen, if it doesn't lay an egg it could still be a hen" lol


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

First To Hatch said:


> Ya know, I heard a cock will mount another cock, so unless she has laid right in front of you/or prior owner, how can one be really sure?
> 
> Someone told me "If it lays an egg its a hen, if it doesn't lay an egg it could still be a hen" lol


I have to agree with that, I tried to say that way back..lol..  to know for sure you could always do a DNA.
http://www.dnasexing.com/


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## SouthTown Racers (Jan 14, 2009)

It's a hen.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

SouthTown Racers said:


> It's a hen.


please share how you know that.


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## SouthTown Racers (Jan 14, 2009)

Are you serious?? Because I've had pigeons since I was 5 and know how to tell a cock from a hen. I'm on here asking about medical issues a hen could possibly have to prevent her com laying eggs, and what I'm getting is questioned if I know the difference between a cock and a hen.......sorry but it's frustrating.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

SouthTown Racers said:


> Are you serious?? Because I've had pigeons since I was 5 and know how to tell a cock from a hen. I'm on here asking about medical issues a hen could possibly have to prevent her com laying eggs, and what I'm getting is questioned if I know the difference between a cock and a hen.......sorry but it's frustrating.


Im sorry.

I have had many experienced keepers sell or give me a "hen" and or a "cock"... that was not. so it is not unusal for one to be wrong on the sex. esp if the cock is feminate. but I guess you can't be. sorry I didn not know you could not be wrong about it.


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## SouthTown Racers (Jan 14, 2009)

It's just that this is one of the most feminine hens in the loft, and the sex of the bird is not in question. So let's assume the bird has some ovaries, and try to figure out what could be wrong with them.


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## ssyyb2 (Sep 4, 2011)

My mentor was telling me how he had a funny acting hen he finally disposed of her and opened her up and she had canker all over inside of her her throat and eyes were clear of it tho


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

SouthTown Racers said:


> It's just that this is one of the most feminine hens in the loft, and the sex of the bird is not in question. So let's assume the bird has some ovaries, and try to figure out what could be wrong with them.


she may not have any(ova) as she has never laid (a defect).. ..try supplimenting the water with calcium syrup and allow outside in the aviary for direct sunshine.. do you use lights? try uvb lights, it mimics the sunlight. watch for being egg bound, since she is an 09 it seems she would have some history... hmmm. "she" may be non fixable, so you will have to know when to call it quits and let her retire.


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## SouthTown Racers (Jan 14, 2009)

I do use calcium syrup, have big aviaries, and use the "sunlight " fluorescent lights on for 18 hours. I also mix Purina green, and Purina layer pellets in with the seed mix.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

SouthTown Racers said:


> I do use calcium syrup, have big aviaries, and use the "sunlight " fluorescent lights on for 18 hours. I also mix Purina green, and Purina layer pellets in with the seed mix.


well then she has a physical problem that is all her own, who had her before you?, can you ask them if she had problems or has she just not layed eggs at your loft.


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## SouthTown Racers (Jan 14, 2009)

All I know about her breeding history is that she has never been bred out of. She was always an extra hen.....that is why she came to me. I don't think she has seen a cock bird since she was a youngster in 09


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

SouthTown Racers said:


> All I know about her breeding history is that she has never been bred out of. She was always an extra hen.....that is why she came to me. I don't think she has seen a cock bird since she was a youngster in 09


an extra hen ok, you have all her needs met.. so try her with a different cock. see what happens


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

some hens are born baron. They never lay. BUT if this hen was never used Then she might be slow to start laying. Try some Vitimans that have high vit, E to give her that extra boost To want to breed. I have in the past had a baron hen or 2 that never layed. You might even let her sit a round of eggs And raise that round FROM another pair. And it might get here going. Just place an egg under her She sure would probably sit it. As I had done that. and it worked. Just like i have had hens that just would not except a mate. And had to wait 3 or more months with the hen to get them to except a mate. I do not believe its any health issue. Its either baron or needs more motivation to get her to reproduce.


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## Alamo (Nov 22, 2008)

As in humans(Women),it would be possible that she will never lay eggs....I woundn`t discount the fact that she might not ever lay...Ganus has something on his product page for these kind of problems....One of them is a 10 day thing...He says most hens will lay after treatment...Worth a try ?? I don`t know...Alamo


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## SouthTown Racers (Jan 14, 2009)

Spirit Wings, Re Lee, and Alamo thanks for all of your advice.


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## SouthTown Racers (Jan 14, 2009)

re lee said:


> some hens are born baron. They never lay. BUT if this hen was never used Then she might be slow to start laying. Try some Vitimans that have high vit, E to give her that extra boost To want to breed. I have in the past had a baron hen or 2 that never layed. You might even let her sit a round of eggs And raise that round FROM another pair. And it might get here going. Just place an egg under her She sure would probably sit it. As I had done that. and it worked. Just like i have had hens that just would not except a mate. And had to wait 3 or more months with the hen to get them to except a mate. I do not believe its any health issue. Its either baron or needs more motivation to get her to reproduce.


What product do you recommend for vitamin E?


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## First To Hatch (Jul 19, 2009)

I use Winsmore increases fertility by 90%


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## SouthTown Racers (Jan 14, 2009)

First To Hatch said:


> I use Winsmore increases fertility by 90%


I have some of that!! Thank You!!


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## First To Hatch (Jul 19, 2009)

I give that to my birds everyday, I'm sure you know why if you have some of that makes the feathers very nice and bright.


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## SouthTown Racers (Jan 14, 2009)

First To Hatch said:


> I give that to my birds everyday, I'm sure you know why if you have some of that makes the feathers very nice and bright.


I have had mine for 2yrs and have not really used it. I wonder if its still good.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

SouthTown Racers said:


> What product do you recommend for vitamin E?


Even a good poultry vit Has a high dose of viut E You can sure notice when the birds get it. the cocks are cooing up to there hens. the hens get excited more. VIT E also helps increase fertile eggs. And you can go to wal mart or most any drug store Buy VIT E 200 or 400 unit Geliton caps and give as a single dose for 4 to 5 days.


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