Easter Egger Stopped Laying :(

[SurbFarmGirl]

About 2 weeks ago my Gerty (Easter Egger) stopped laying eggs (she started laying this past August). I'm not sure if she is still molting ... her back (above her tail feathers) looks like down feathers ... not feathers like the rest of her body. I thought regular feathers would grow in but they aren't seeming to. Could she be in the middle of a molt? Any ideas why she stopped laying? She won't squat to me and let me pick her up anymore either. It's like she's mad at me

First time chicken mommy so please help.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

About 2 weeks ago my Gerty (Easter Egger) stopped laying eggs (she started laying this past August). I'm not sure if she is still molting ... her back (above her tail feathers) looks like down feathers ... not feathers like the rest of her body. I thought regular feathers would grow in but they aren't seeming to. Could she be in the middle of a molt? Any ideas why she stopped laying? She won't squat to me and let me pick her up anymore either. It's like she's mad at me

First time chicken mommy so please help.

When a hen or rooster for that matter is molting and growing new feathers, the bird becomes feverish and sore. I would be un-surprised if a molting hen decided that she was tired of being pawed over by a ham fistsed owner.

 

[Skylercarr]

Hens need 14 hours of light to lay an egg and if she is not getting those 14 hours she may not lay. But you can put a light in your coop if you have not already done so.

 

[SurbFarmGirl]

Right now they are getting about 12 hours of daylight. My other 3 are laying ok ... just not her

 

[SurbFarmGirl]

I think she may be too young to be molting. She isn't missing any feathers, just has a lot of down looking feathers above her tails (but looking at others photos it looks pretty common in EEs).