Chicken not laying!

[colincrompton]

Our Blue wheaten Amerucauna hasn't been laying, it started in the spring when she started molting. First he "beard feathers" fell out and they haven't grown back! also, her neck feathers are a tiny bit sparse. She just hasn't been laying, and we know it's not due to calcium because we give them oyster shells, also she still goes into the nesting box! help?

 

[Judy]

it can take some birds a few months to go through the molt cycle and start again. Hopefully she is just being slow about it.

 

[colincrompton]

well, it's been about 6..

 

[Judy]

How old is she? Could she be at the end of her laying years? There could be some sort of problem, of course. She could be an internal layer or have a cancer, or just a defective shell gland (I think it's called.) Sometimes the hen's ovary actually comes out with the egg, so of course she doesn't lay after that. I know very little about breeds, but I believe this is one that tends not to lay well, also. Usually an internal layer will have abdominal swelling and other symptoms, so that she does not seem healthy. There are no doubt other guesses that would apply as well.

 

[colincrompton]

She's a little over a year old. So i'm pretty sure it's not years. Also, we have one other Amerucauna, and she's still laying. As I said, she seems in good health except here beard feathers won't grow back and her neck feathers are kinda thin.