1 year old hen suddenly stopped laying

[newbiechickenmamma11]

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!

 

[Mrs. K]

I bet she is hiding them somewhere.

 

[newbiechickenmamma11]

I bet she is hiding them somewhere.

Hi! So unfortunately she definitely isn't, though I wish she was because that'd be an easy answer. They are mostly in their enclosed run and it's easy to check everywhere and there's no eggs anywhere else.

I also have cameras in the run, coop and nesting box so can see what she gets up to - and strangely she just stopped deciding she wanted to lay eggs.

 

[Selina_Stracke]

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 slope) 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!

A sudden slowdown can be normal, especially with heat stress or the start of a light molt, but the change in behaviour you described is worth keeping an eye on. If her comb colour fluctuates and she isolates at times, it may help to check her weight and feel for any abdominal swelling so you can rule out early issues like reproductive slowdown or liver strain.

 

[newbiechickenmamma11]

Thanks for your reply. She does hang around the back of the flock at some times, and if I give them greens, she will hang around the back because the others get in her way. I am unsure how to determine if she has abdominal swelling or not.. but will read into it! I would definitely be concerned about this. At the moment I'll just continue to monitor!

 

[FarmerGirl101]

Palpation is a good way to feel if there is swelling. Has she always hung out towards the back of the group or is this a new thing?

 

[SkyAJK]

Compare her abdominal with the other hens.

Also you can check her physical to see if she is laying or now like her vent - if it is small in width and dried = not laying
Comb - pale colour = not laying.

There is an article on BYC here about this check, I just can not find it to give you the link.

But when your hen is staying away from others, and this is unusual behaviour from her, then it is is a concern. Sick hen stays away from other.

Check her poop, small and watery away from her normal poops is another sign.

I have hens that stop laying for no reason, I don't know what is wrong with them. They are eating, and behaving normally and no other physical signs of ill health, I can not do anything but monitor them.

The heat also cause some issue with laying.

I wish all is well with your hen.

 

[newbiechickenmamma11]

Palpation is a good way to feel if there is swelling. Has she always hung out towards the back of the group or is this a new thing?

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?

 

[newbiechickenmamma11]

Compare her abdominal with the other hens.

Also you can check her physical to see if she is laying or now like her vent - if it is small in width and dried = not laying
Comb - pale colour = not laying.

There is an article on BYC here about this check, I just can not find it to give you the link.

But when your hen is staying away from others, and this is unusual behaviour from her, then it is is a concern. Sick hen stays away from other.

Check her poop, small and watery away from her normal poops is another sign.

I have hens that stop laying for no reason, I don't know what is wrong with them. They are eating, and behaving normal and no physical signs of ill health, I can not do anything but monitor them.

The heat also cause some issue with laying.

I wish all is well with your hen.

Thank you for your reply.

She doesn't always hang around the back which is confusing. Last few days she's been active and alert. But this one day when she stayed away from others definitely got me concerned - and was probably the same day I started this thread!

I will check her vent and poop and report back - great reminder.

For your hens that stopped laying for no reason, did they stop when young? (eg 12 months?) Or were they older hens? I think I'm most perplexed because my hens are so young - they only started laying about 4 months ago!

 

[SkyAJK]

Thank you for your reply.

She doesn't always hang around the back which is confusing. Last few days she's been active and alert. But this one day when she stayed away from others definitely got me concerned - and was probably the same day I started this thread!

I will check her vent and poop and report back - great reminder.

For your hens that stopped laying for no reason, did they stop when young? (eg 12 months?) Or were they older hens? I think I'm most perplexed because my hens are so young - they only started laying about 4 months ago!

Be patient and don't panic. These things need time to investigate and observation.

Some of them was a bit over a year old.

Your hen does not visit the nestbox, then I am guessing her body is not telling her that she needs to lay egg.

Check for lice/mite, worm, and might be she is molting mildly.

I have one is molting now just around the neck area and she stopped laying.

You might like to try to house her during the day in a separate area and watch how she behaves. Sometimes being at the bottom means she does not get enough food/water.

Edit to add: There is also an article on BYC here about bullying.