BR hasn’t laid in two weeks??

[mamajschicks]

My 6 month old BR was laying about 4 eggs/week. She just started laying at the beginning of July despite the hot temperatures here in the dessert. (110+) I am currently feeding them scratch with oyster shell on the side. I have rooster booster in their water for the extra nutrition and electrolytes along with plain water. During the day they have access to full shade, fans, ice blocks and frozen fruit in the afternoon. About two weeks ago she stopped laying… I’m not sure why. During this time… my chickens also got fowl pox… which I treated with iodine (topically). She still laid eggs throughout the time they were showing symptoms. When their symptoms went away… she stopped laying and it’s been two weeks and still no egg. It also seems like her comb and waddles are not as red as they were… but when I try to pick her up… she still squats. Seems to be eating and drinking and free ranging normally. Haven’t seen any suspicious looking poops either… any advice on what it could be?? Do chickens have a sense of the weather like other animals? We are close to the eye of hurricane Hillary… not sure if that’s relevant…
Thanks in advance!!

 

[nuthatched]

Scratch or feed?
Is she soft molting?

 

[mamajschicks]

Scratch or feed?
Is she soft molting?

My apologies in advance for being new to all of this… so I am giving them scratch grains as feed with oyster shell on the side because it’s so hot and humid here. That was recommended to me from a local chicken keeper as the higher protein in the layer feed causes them to run hotter? Saying this as a question because that’s what she told me…

I’m not sure if she’s soft molting… how would I be able to tell? Thanks for the feedback!

 

[mamajschicks]

My 6 month old BR was laying about 4 eggs/week. She just started laying at the beginning of July despite the hot temperatures here in the dessert. (110+) I am currently feeding them scratch with oyster shell on the side. I have rooster booster in their water for the extra nutrition and electrolytes along with plain water. During the day they have access to full shade, fans, ice blocks and frozen fruit in the afternoon. About two weeks ago she stopped laying… I’m not sure why. During this time… my chickens also got fowl pox… which I treated with iodine (topically). She still laid eggs throughout the time they were showing symptoms. When their symptoms went away… she stopped laying and it’s been two weeks and still no egg. It also seems like her comb and waddles are not as red as they were… but when I try to pick her up… she still squats. Seems to be eating and drinking and free ranging normally. Haven’t seen any suspicious looking poops either… any advice on what it could be?? Do chickens have a sense of the weather like other animals? We are close to the eye of hurricane Hillary… not sure if that’s relevant…
Thanks in advance!!

Update!!! She laid her first egg this morning in over two weeks!!! We have had cooler than normal temperatures with Hilary coming in (in the 80s when we have been in the 110+). Maybe it was just all of the above that finally got to her?

 

[ChickyCh00k]

My apologies in advance for being new to all of this… so I am giving them scratch grains as feed with oyster shell on the side because it’s so hot and humid here. That was recommended to me from a local chicken keeper as the higher protein in the layer feed causes them to run hotter? Saying this as a question because that’s what she told me…

I’m not sure if she’s soft molting… how would I be able to tell? Thanks for the feedback!

"Scratch" is considered a "treat" for chickens. It's not meant to be their entire diet. This could be a major part of your issue here. A layer feed or "all fflock" feed with oyster on the side is nutrionally balanced for what chickens require to be healthy. Scratch isn't really "healthy" for them. If anything, I would think the scratch would make them "hotter" than a regular chicken feed would.

Can you take a picture of the scratch ingredient label and upload it here?

 

[nuthatched]

My apologies in advance for being new to all of this… so I am giving them scratch grains as feed with oyster shell on the side because it’s so hot and humid here. That was recommended to me from a local chicken keeper as the higher protein in the layer feed causes them to run hotter? Saying this as a question because that’s what she told me…

I’m not sure if she’s soft molting… how would I be able to tell? Thanks for the feedback!

That chicken keeper is wrong.
Protein doesn't make a chicken 'run hot', they desperately need protein for egg, feather and body production.
Scratch can make a chickenn run hot though, it's pretty much pure carbs, it's not feed. It's like a steady diet of French fries for us, not a lot of nutrients, high in carbs and fat.
I'd recommend you get her on a high protein layer asap, she need protein and proper nutrition.

 

[mamajschicks]

That chicken keeper is wrong.
Protein doesn't make a chicken 'run hot', they desperately need protein for egg, feather and body production.
Scratch can make a chickenn run hot though, it's pretty much pure carbs, it's not feed. It's like a steady diet of French fries for us, not a lot of nutrients, high in carbs and fat.
I'd recommend you get her on a high protein layer asap, she need protein and proper nutrition.

Thanks for the info! That’s why I’m here I’ll get them switched over to layer tomorrow. I appreciate all of the feedback.

 

[mamajschicks]

That chicken keeper is wrong.
Protein doesn't make a chicken 'run hot', they desperately need protein for egg, feather and body production.
Scratch can make a chickenn run hot though, it's pretty much pure carbs, it's not feed. It's like a steady diet of French fries for us, not a lot of nutrients, high in carbs and fat.
I'd recommend you get her on a high protein layer asap, she need protein and proper nutrition.

Thank you for the feedback! I will get them
Switched over to layer feed ASAP!

 

[nuthatched]

Thanks for the info! That’s why I’m here I’ll get them switched over to layer tomorrow. I appreciate all of the feedback.

Good luck with your chickens, I'm still waiting for my young pullets to pay rent.