Chicken acting like she’s laid

[ScottyGill]

Hi I have a Blue French copper marans who is 8.5 months old. She’s been laying lovely eggs since February. About a month ago she seemed unwell and we wondered if she was egg bound. Gave her Epsom salts bath and she went to her coop for rest of the day and seemed better but she had stopped flattening and started to crow! Someone suspected ovary damage. She’s become like a hen again, no more crowing flattening when she sees us. Last week she layed a soft egg. This week she’s been making nests in the coop sitting in there and coming out with her I just laid an egg song and there is nothing there. We wondered if the others were eating them if it was still soft eggs, we give them oyster shell and egg shells. Yesterday I separated the others to watch and she went through the whole process but still no egg. This is my first flock! Is this normal behaviour when a chicken starts laying again after illness. We don’t know what was wrong but we thought we were losing her but she’s absolutely fine now, energetic, calm and eating and drinking. Just no eggs for a month!

 

[sourland]

I'd monitor her closely, but it does sound as if she is in the process of restarting a laying cycle.

 

[ScottyGill]

I'd monitor her closely, but it does sound as if she is in the process of restarting a laying cycle.

What could be the reason for all this. What should I be worried about

 

[chickens really]

Was she Broody and just started laying again? Provide oyster shell in a separate dish.

 

[ScottyGill]

Was she Broody and just started laying again? Provide oyster shell in a separate dish.

No not broody. Hasn’t laid for a month. She seemed very unwell a month ago, became rather cockerelish and is now changing back to herself, acting like she’s laid but hasn’t. I can’t find anyone who can help me understand what’s happened and vet knows very little about chicken . I am providing oyster shell and chicken shell. Absolute no issues with anyone else

 

[chickens really]

If she was Broody before she won't lay eggs for weeks. Then when they start again sometimes the first eggs can be off.

 

[ScottyGill]

If she was Broody before she won't lay eggs for weeks. Then when they start again sometimes the first eggs can be off.

Thanks but she’s only 8 1/2 months old and wasn’t broody. She was more displaying cockerel qualities. Had started crowing. Someone suggested ovary damage. She’s stopped doing that. However I can take form what your saying that anything that disturbs laying can take a while to regulate again.

 

[aart]

If she has/had ovary issues she may never lay again.
You'll just have to be patient and see how it plays out.

 

[ScottyGill]

If she has/had ovary issues she may never lay again.
You'll just have to be patient and see how it plays out.

Yes. She’s trying every day or she she thinks she is everyday. She seems happy to be believing she’s laying so we’re happy if she’s happy . She’s beautiful and we love her and she’s good for the others to snuggle up at night. Plus she’s a pretty good guard chicken. We have 6 more potentials in the incubator.

 

[ScottyGill]

If she was Broody before she won't lay eggs for weeks. Then when they start again sometimes the first eggs can be off.

It’s just occurred to me maybe she was broody. We thought she was unwell. She wasn’t in her coop but she was either sitting under a table or in a box. We put her in an Epsom salts bath as thought she may be egg bound. She went to sleep for rest of day and woke up ok except still no eggs. Every single day she’s acting like she’s laying an egg now! So maybe we broke her out of her broodiness with the bath!! I didn’t know they could be broody so young but just read Broody type hens will let you know quite early on. I’m suspecting my mystery might be solved. She’s perfectly happy and healthy and friendly now! She had turned a bit nasty. Would that be explained by broodiness?