1 dead, reduced eggs, but cant figure it out

[teach106]

12hens 2 roos (mixed heavy breeds)
7 months of age
Laying for past 8 weeks or so, great indoor space, timer daylight, nighttime heat lamps.

Avg up to 10-12 eggs a day,

Out of no where, ill hen, lethargic, yellow green diarhea all over vent. Within 12 hours she was dead.

All others active as can be throughout this period. Now it has been about two weeks since the death, and I have seen the avg egg laying drop to 6-8 a day. I also have a broody hen, a couple that appear to be molting a few feathers (odd to molt now in the middle of a Michigan winter). All things that can decrease egg production.

So now down to 11 hens. Should be in their prime. Fine line between treatment and letting somethign ride its course. I thought antibiotic medicate (oxy via water) but concerned about egg production, consuming eggs afterwards. They all seem great, with exception to a few runny wastes here and there. I brought in some fresh veggies, some yogurt (saw on a post) they all ate it right up. But then still gave me only 6 eggs the next day.

I did a major overall of bleach water too to clean everything. I will clean every other day here for a while to make sure if someone is sick it stays away.

What do you all think? Treat? Dont Treat? Let it ride its course? Or perhaps no one is even sick in the first place? Could have been a random fluke with the one.

 

[thechickenchick]

I have to admit that I don't have the experience to answer this. I have been at this almost a year and so far have been blessed with healthy birds.

However there are alot of very smart people here that can help, so I will nudge this post to the top. Good luck!

 

[congdon476]

Perhaps the one that passed was the one doing double duty on egg laying?

If you haven't seen any issues in 2 weeks and you cleaned everything out, I would say let it ride. She could have eaten something that wasn't good for her or just had something seize up in her biological system. Things happen, and the only silver lining was it was pretty quick for her.

Sorry you lost a good layer. Hopefully your others will get passed their "grief" (especially if she was lead hen) and return to more normal egg laying production.

Just my thoughts... by no means an expert or experienced chicken raiser yet.