2 year old hen stopped laying and I’m worried

[Joline]

I have a small 2 year old hen Louella in a flock of 3, all the same age. I do not artificially light their coop so they stopped laying in November and resumed in February I think. Louella’s eggs since then have been infrequent but huge, much bigger than those of her 2 larger sisters. A couple months ago her laying slowed down to one egg a week and stopped about a month ago. One day I found her in the nesting box in the penguin position as if she were going to lay an egg but didn’t. She doesn’t seem unhealthy but when I go to clean the roosting area of poop every morning I notice that she has hardly been pooping during the night. She is eating and drinking. I am worried that she is egg bound but don’t notice obvious signs of that. Today I crushed a calcium pill, mixed it with water and she drank it readily from my hand. Then I soaked her bottom in warm water, coated her vent with coconut oil and even managed to feel inside her with one inch of my finger but didn’t feel an egg. I put her in a pen in a darkened area for over an hour. No egg. Her vent area doesn’t appear swollen but she didn’t like me touching around it, but who would like that? I couldn‘y tell if it was hurting or not. She is my dearest most cuddly hen and I would be bereft to lose her. What is your experienced advice? Time to take her to an (expensive) exotic pet vet?

 

[Tonyroo]

She looks healthy from the picture.

Did you examine her eggshell? Checking for wave pattern and irregular imprints on the shell or density.

If the shell feels normal density, consider giving her some frozen coconut oil pellets.

 

[Joline]

As an aside Louella is not acting broody, so that doesn’t explain the lack of eggs.

 

[TillyPeeps]

If it's egg bound, I found that Calcium Citrate works much better than regular Calcium pills. I use this powder instead of pill: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F8I5XPG. I mix it with plain yogurt and every chicken loves it. Unfortunately, lots of high-production chickens develop reproduction problems including internal laying and cancer after they turn two year old. Did you find any soft shell or shell-less egg from her? That could indicate a reproduction problem.

 

[TillyPeeps]

As an aside Louella is not acting broody, so that doesn’t explain the lack of eggs.

Is that possible she is molting? Even it's June, I have a chicken molting right now.

 

[Joline]

She looks healthy from the picture.

Did you examine her eggshell? Checking for wave pattern and irregular imprints on the shell or density.

If the shell feels normal density, consider giving her some frozen coconut oil pellets.

Her last egg is long gone. I recall her eggs were noticeably thinner than those of her sisters. I’ll try the frozen coconut oil idea. Thanks.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Time to take her to an (expensive) exotic pet vet?

Can you feel for squishyness between her legs on her abdomen.. a little lower than the vent area.. checking here for any "waterbelly" feeling that might indicate internal laying/egg yolk peritonitis.

Egg binding is usually deadly within 48 hours.. and does not include eating and drinking plus causes lethargy.

Other internal issues like certain cancers are not uncommon to present in this manner. Possibly even salpingitis..

 

[Joline]

If it's egg bound, I found that Calcium Citrate works much better than regular Calcium pills. I use this powder instead of pill: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F8I5XPG. I mix it with plain yogurt and every chicken loves it. Unfortunately, lots of high-production chickens develop reproduction problems including internal laying and cancer after they turn two year old. Did you find any soft shell or shell-less egg from her? That could indicate a reproduction problem.

No, no shell-less eggs. Thanks for the calcium tip.

 

[Joline]

Her last egg is long gone. I recall her eggs were noticeably thinner than those of her sisters. I’ll try the frozen coconut oil idea. Thanks.

She scarfed down a bunch of coconut oil without me having to freeze it. I'll wait and see.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

If the shell feels normal density, consider giving her some frozen coconut oil pellets.

This is a common recommendation for impacted crops.. could you please explain what is the reason for recommendation here?