Hen Passed away now her best friend has stopped laying

[WendyTestaburger]

My 2.5 old BCM named Dot passed away Wednesday night. She stopped laying eggs in May of last year. I took her to the vet in October and they said she was just having a hard molt but no parasites or anything found in fecal test. She did molt and never recovered, she became anemic and lethargic and died after I brought her in out of the cold.

Anyway, I haven't gotten an egg from her best friend (Loki) since Dot was separated from her. Is this normal? I plan to take Loki in to the vet if she still hasn't laid by Monday. They roosted together every night and we're incubated/hatched together and with eachother ever since so I am wondering if I should be worried about disease or could this be depression/stress and if so is there anything I can do to help her? I took her some oatmeal this morning and she has a good appetite, no symptoms of illness her stomach feels normal to me not squishy or hard. Walking normal. Comb and waddle are nice and red.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Yes separated chickens stresses them out especially if they are alone. Is Loki now your only chicken? If so she most likely is very depressed. It's one thing if a chicken starts out a lone sometimes they manage, but going from being with another chicken to solitary confinement can really wreak havoc on a chickens emotional state.

 

[WendyTestaburger]

Yes separated chickens stresses them out especially if they are alone. Is Loki now your only chicken? If so she most likely is very depressed. It's one thing if a chicken starts out a lone sometimes they manage, but going from being with another chicken to solitary confinement can really wreak havoc on a chickens emotional state.

No I have 9 in the flock but Loki and Dot were always together and wouldn't roost with the others. She's been with 4 of the newer chickens for a few months, the other 4 she has been with since she was a pullet

 

[HollowOfWisps]

No I have 9 in the flock but Loki and Dot were always together and wouldn't roost with the others. She's been with 4 of the newer chickens for a few months, the other 4 she has been with since she was a pullet

How long has it been since she was separated from dot? This time of year many chickens are also just starting up laying. If her comb is turning red and she is otherwise acting normal she most likely will start soon. Stress+Winter could very well cause her to stop laying.

 

[WendyTestaburger]

How long has it been since she was separated from dot? This time of year many chickens are also just starting up laying. If her comb is turning red and she is otherwise acting normal she most likely will start soon. Stress+Winter could very well cause her to stop laying.

I brought Dot in last Sunday. I know for sure I haven't gotten an egg from Loki for the last 3-4 days but thinking back it could have been nearly a week now because my last two egg cartons had none of hers which is unusual because she was laying nearly every day. The weather here has been getting warmer (crazy nc weather. It's back to below freezing this morning and will be 84 on Thursday)

 

[WendyTestaburger]

The vet said I need to switch them to a layer feed. Right now I have them on all flock and oyster shell on the side. What do you all feed yours? I'm reading eggshells are better than oyster shell. I just hope she's not sick too. All my girls have nice hard eggshells, but I don't know for sure they're consuming the oyster shell I just leave it out for them in a container to help themselves