How can I STOP my hen from laying?

[chickbliss7]

Good news so far! I brought Priscilla home from the draining the vet did, and she has regained her energy in the past week. I've been letting her and her sisters outside in the pasture almost every day. Now she is scratching energetically and even running around! I'm giving her organic whole milk yogurt with bacillus every day, which she really loves. She still sleeps on the floor under the nest boxes, but maybe she's just found that it's cozier there than on the roost. I don't see any harm in it. Usually one of the other girls sleeps down there with her. Still doesn't get in my lap like she did though, but I'm glad she is better. Thanks, all!

 

[elizabethbinary]

Quote:
YAY! thanks for the update

 

[ladybuglives]

I am very interested to know how Priscilla is. I have a Buff Orp, Mama Pajama, with egg yolk peritonitis and I am bringing her in to a darkened room early (only 8 hours of daylight a day) -- she appears to have stopped laying internally (or at all). I have another girl who was getting egg bound and was laying weird monster eggs. She's also in the house for 16 hours a day in a dark room. She definitely stopped laying and yesterday just laid a beautiful normal egg on her own!!! I am all about the "black boxing" to get them to stop ovulating. Mama is starting a slow molt -- a feather here a feather there. Of course like yours she is my favorite girl!!! I think if this whole thing doesn't fix the problem then I will seek a vet who will spay her.

 

[SusanMarieYork]

Did you ever find out if you can use human birth control? My hens are old and need it too.

 

[tofupup]

article on lupron and deslorelin acetate
http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/members.ar...iles/Proceedings_2015/Main_Conference/187.pdf

 

[Marnie Meyers]

Thanks for your empathy, everyone. This is my only outlet to express my sorrow when things go wrong in the coop--my husband just thinks I've gone off the deep end with my chickens! Always, it's "they're just CHICKENS!"

I looked up Lupron (sp?). It's for humans, specifically men with prostate cancer. My guess is that it's a hormonal medication. The vet says he thinks chickens don't do well during surgery, and I'm inclined to agree, given her weakened condition. She seems a little better today; up on her feet a lot more. I let them outside because I was working around the coop. Normally, I can't do that because of predators. They were happily scratching and pecking in the compost piles and the fresh green weeds from all the rain we've had. I'm hoping, with regular draining, she'll get better. Now I just need to find a way to keep her from releasing her eggs...

This was posted a long time ago but I wonder what you found out. I have beloved chickens too. email: [email protected]