1 year old hen suddenly stopped laying

[FarmerGirl101]

So I've palpated my chickens before I guess what I'm confused about is how much 'swelling' is abnormal!

I just went to check again and she's got a bit of squishyness, I have a chicken who has less squish than her, and I also have chickens with more squish than her. So I'm not sure?

I feel like she has always been on around the bottom of the pecking order, (my previous two bottom of the pecking order chickens have passed away) so I guess she's rock bottom now. She doesn't always hang around the back, but if someone isn't coming, it's usually her.

I have one other 12 month old hen who also mysteriously reduced laying without reason (she slowed down to laying once every 4-6 weeks~). That hen still visits the nesting box 3-4 times a week and sits there as if she's expecting herself to lay an egg.

However, this current welsummer hen in question, I have noticed has not visited the nesting box once during her non-laying period. I wonder if that information sheds any light?

If she is middle of the pack in terms of squishyness then I wouldn't be concerned about swelling. Is her tail droopy and/or her feathers kinda poofy when she just sits there?

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

My Welsummer and a few others always stop in the Summer for a bit.
I think making an egg generates heat, and thats the last thing they need in the hot months…

 

[FarmerGirl101]

This is true. Heat stress can sometimes slow production. I did forget about that.

 

[newbiechickenmamma11]

Hi all, just thought I'd update to share that after 15 days of no eggs, she started laying again, and has laid 6 eggs since in the last 7 days (her usual schedule). Hopefully she's all good healthwise now!

Past 2 days have been quite hot (34C-39C) and she laid on both days. The days where she wasn't laying weren't too hot. So potentially not heat related. I did give them lots of helpings of shell grit and crushed egg shells right before she started laying again. I wonder if it was calcium related? Or just coincidence.

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

Hi all, just thought I'd update to share that after 15 days of no eggs, she started laying again, and has laid 6 eggs since in the last 7 days (her usual schedule). Hopefully she's all good healthwise now!

Past 2 days have been quite hot (34C-39C) and she laid on both days. The days where she wasn't laying weren't too hot. So potentially not heat related. I did give them lots of helpings of shell grit and crushed egg shells right before she started laying again. I wonder if it was calcium related? Or just coincidence.

Yayyy! Glad she’s laying again!

That is interesting!
Did you change anything else? (Particularly, protein wise?)

 

[newbiechickenmamma11]

Yayyy! Glad she’s laying again!

That is interesting!
Did you change anything else? (Particularly, protein wise?)

Nope, nothing else. They are still on the same feed as per before.

Though a few times I tried to make sure she was getting enough food as she was on the bottom of the pecking order, by hand feeding her some of her feed too.

I used to have shell grit around all the time but after it ran out I didn't refill because the feed I give them is meant to have enough calcium in it for laying anyway. But I thought maybe I'll put the shell grit and egg shells back and see if it changes anything. I'm not really sure if it was calcium related or just coincidence!