newbiechickenmamma11
Chirping
Hello, I am based in Australia (so summer here). I have a welsummer hen who is 12 months old, who I got as a day old chick.
Since she started laying in July, she has been consistently laying 6-7 eggs a week which is very frequent. However, just recently, 2 weeks ago, she laid only 4 eggs that week. 1 week ago, she laid 2 eggs that week. And so far this week, she hasn't laid an egg - so the last egg she laid was 9 days ago.
I'm a bit concerned about her given how consistent (and frequently) she was laying previously, and suddenly she has slowed down and isn't laying, as I had another chicken pass away a month or two ago - she was a consistent layer too, then stopped laying for 4 days then died. I got a necropsy done for that chicken and posted on BYC and determined it was fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome.
Currently observing her, she sometimes has a slightly pale comb, but I find it does go red soon after (so during the day it changes colour, and I've noticed this with my other chickens before). She has generally been acting as usual, but sometimes she does stand off to the side a bit. This afternoon I found her keeping to herself standing to the side-ish, which doesn't seem like a good sign. At the same time she's somewhat at the bottom of the pecking order so seems a bit normal for her.
I will keep monitoring, but do wonder if it can also be normal for a 12 month old hen go from frequent laying, slow down to a stop...then start again some time in the future.
Thank you!
Since she started laying in July, she has been consistently laying 6-7 eggs a week which is very frequent. However, just recently, 2 weeks ago, she laid only 4 eggs that week. 1 week ago, she laid 2 eggs that week. And so far this week, she hasn't laid an egg - so the last egg she laid was 9 days ago.
I'm a bit concerned about her given how consistent (and frequently) she was laying previously, and suddenly she has slowed down and isn't laying, as I had another chicken pass away a month or two ago - she was a consistent layer too, then stopped laying for 4 days then died. I got a necropsy done for that chicken and posted on BYC and determined it was fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome.
Currently observing her, she sometimes has a slightly pale comb, but I find it does go red soon after (so during the day it changes colour, and I've noticed this with my other chickens before). She has generally been acting as usual, but sometimes she does stand off to the side a bit. This afternoon I found her keeping to herself standing to the side-ish, which doesn't seem like a good sign. At the same time she's somewhat at the bottom of the pecking order so seems a bit normal for her.
I will keep monitoring, but do wonder if it can also be normal for a 12 month old hen go from frequent laying, slow down to a stop...then start again some time in the future.
Thank you!
