Bad molt wrecked the egg laying parts?

[Hensndoes]

Last fall 2 of my hatchery stock molted really hard. I'm talking not even resembled chickens. I had to give them tuna cuz they were walking drunk like which brought them right back to normal behavior within hours. Neither has laid an egg since. I expected time off as I don't use lighting. But everyone else has been laying for over a month.

They will be 3 yrs old next month. One is a black sexlink the other a golden laced wyandotte. Normal for chickens to be done laying at this age? Or did that molt wreck them? The sexlinks waddles and comb are shriveled to nothing almost but it's hard to tell on the wyandotte. The other girls are fine and have been laying for over a month but they didn't molt as hard. All are same age.

No bug issues and they eat a balanced diet with oyster free choice on the side. I have Roos so I feed 18% all flock. It's the only option other than layer here.

This was Ricki in her moment.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sex links can be prone to reproductive cancers and other problems. I have had them just quit at 2 years and never lay again.

Generally better layers molt harder, so it's not unusual for some to molt like that.

My gold laced Wyandotte just started back up, so perhaps yours is about to. Where are you located? That can play a factor in when hens resume.

Hens best production is during their first and second season with most dropping dramatically in production during their third and fourth season. So your birds best production is behind them.

 

[bobbi-j]

I agree with Oldhen. At 3, they could well be done laying. I had a chicken molt like that a couple of years ago - poor thing looked like she'd been plucked!

 

[Hensndoes]

Thank you Oldhen. I'm in new hamshire so we still have quite a bit of snow. All the other girls came back online but these two. I just now came back from the run and am afraid my sexlink is ailing. She's looking heavy in the bum area and not walking normal so I think you may be right.

 

[bobbi-j]

Thank you Oldhen. I'm in new hamshire so we still have quite a bit of snow. All the other girls came back online but these two. I just now came back from the run and am afraid my sexlink is ailing. She's looking heavy in the bum area and not walking normal so I think you may be right.

Walking like a penguin? Kind of upright with her tail pointed down? That could be ascites or egg yolk peritonitis.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thank you Oldhen. I'm in new hamshire so we still have quite a bit of snow. All the other girls came back online but these two. I just now came back from the run and am afraid my sexlink is ailing. She's looking heavy in the bum area and not walking normal so I think you may be right.

I don't get sex links anymore because of all the problems I've had with them. None were long lived either. My gold laced Wyandotte lay better than my other varieties of Wyandotte. My BLR will probably take another month or two before I see anything out of them.

 

[Hensndoes]

Walking like a penguin? Kind of upright with her tail pointed down? That could be ascites or egg yolk peritonitis.

Not quite like that. I am going to give her the night to see if maybe my badmouthing her got her to make an egg. If she isn't better tomorrow I'm going to dispatch her. Her shriveled comb and wattle tell me she isn't making eggs and could be stricken as Oldhen said.

 

[bobbi-j]

Not quite like that. I am going to give her the night to see if maybe my badmouthing her got her to make an egg. If she isn't better tomorrow I'm going to dispatch her. Her shriveled comb and wattle tell me she isn't making eggs and could be stricken as Oldhen said.

Good plan. You're right - shriveled wattles and combs mean no laying.