Advice on getting a hen to stop laying for a little while

[BayBay Peepers]

A few weeks ago one of my hens had a prolapsed vent. I took her to a vet to be stitched twice. The second time I was given an antibiotic. Things went from bad to worse, but a few days into the antibiotic she started to do really well. She stopped laying for a roughly 9 days and the prolapse went in.
However this morning she layed an egg and her vent is severely prolapsed. I'm wondering if there is anything I can do as well as or even instead of limited light. I'm not sure this issue can be fixed and I'll have to euthanize her, but I would really like to give it my best shot before making a final decision. A few weeks ago I was going to euthanize her, but then she got better.
I know people cull chickens all the time and it's probably just a part of life, but I'd rather that be my last option. She's only about a year old and I would just like my flock to live out the rest of their days normally. I know I ask the people on this site often enough, but know that I always appreciate any help. I don't want the hen to suffer, but if anyone thinks there's a chance she can make it I'm willing to try it.
I did give her a bath in Epson salt about an hour ago and I put a little honey on. I had tried preparation h and Neosporin the last time, but if that would work better I'd be willing to do that again too. Even if you say it's best to put her down. Just searching for other chicken owner's opinions.

 

[lazy gardener]

Have you done a thread search regarding the topic?

 

[BayBay Peepers]

I saw one thread about trying to prevent laying, but it was a long argument over not wanting to eat fertile eggs and being vegan. It was very strange. I'm still perusing for answers on different sites as well. Usually I have the best luck on byc.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

Most of the things I find are reasons why chickens stop laying. I'm looking for the opposite. I need any pointers on how to stop a chicken from laying. I know it's not the first thing a chicken owner tries to do since the main purpose is for eggs, but in this case I think the only way her vent will heal is if I can almost trick her body into going dormant for a teeny bit longer.

 

[pmcatnip]

Maybe encourage her to go broody? Put some golf balls in there and see if she sits. It may be a long shot as there is no way to force broodiness to happen. The risk is that it may only extend her suffering.

 

[donrae]

I saw one thread about trying to prevent laying, but it was a long argument over not wanting to eat fertile eggs and being vegan. It was very strange. I'm still perusing for answers on different sites as well. Usually I have the best luck on byc.

Yeah, we get things like that a lot here

My honey says byc gets weirder than some of my prepper websites~


First thought is to try to limit her light exposure. Birds need average of 14 hours of sunlight a day to maintain production. You could try decreasing what she's getting now. I wouldn't plunge her into darkness, but do a rapid taper down. I'd have her in the coop at night and during the day, and at say 6-7 pm pull her out and put her somewhere totally dark. Do that time for a day or two, then get her at 4-5 pm for a day or two. You might need to go down a few more hours, not sure there. You could just try putting her into the dark at say 4 pm right off, I'd just worry it might be a shocker to her or something...kinda winging it here.

Something you could talk to your vet about is a hormone shot they give dogs to prevent them from coming into season. There was a poster here a while back who used it off-label to keep a rooster from crowing, and maybe a hen from laying, I can't recall for sure. I do remember it was silkies, and I think in Australia. I don't know if your vet would be comfortable with something like that, but as it's a Hail Mary situation anyway I can't see what it would hurt to try.

 

[donrae]

Okay, took some creative searching but I found this thread

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ogs-to-stop-crowing-anyone-ever-heard-of-this

read the OPs posts, talks about the avian vet using this implant (not a shot, sorry) for reproductive issues on hens. Not a ton of info, but it could be a start for your girl.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

I have never heard of anything like it. Guess I'll have to make some phone calls to the vet and see what he thinks. Right now I have her in a large dog crate so I can slowly start decreasing light more easily. I worry about her staying warm enough in there all by herself, but the only way to add heat is with a light and that pretty much defeats the purpose.

 

[ChaoSS]

Might not be the nicest option but you might consider seriously restricting food, so that she doesn't have the nutrients to make an egg? Especially Calcium, so any eggs are soft?

 

[BayBay Peepers]

Im worried if I decrease calcium her body will just deplete it from within. I have decreased the amount of feed I've been giving her in hopes that her body will slow down a bit. I do wonder if this is a good idea or if I'm only prolonging the inevitable. I hope for her sake it will work. I'd hate to lose such a young, funny little hen, but I'd hate even more if I made her suffer.