I have 2 hens that are just a year old. My PR hen was laying from sept to December, when she started to molt. She's not yet started again, but I'm assuming she'll start when she's ready. Nice heavy hen that is the omega.
My EE hen was laying from September to November when she stopped abruptly. She went into a molt soon afterwards. She resumed laying about 4 weeks ago. We got 6 eggs a week, like clockwork. About a week ago, she looked egg bound. She was puffed up and had a dropped tail. She was in and out of the nest box an I though we were in trouble. But a few hours later, she passed the egg. It was a nice big one and she looked totally normal.
That was it! No more eggs since then.
So, about 6-8 weeks ago we had a real cold snap. There were only the two of them out there, so I started running the heat lamp for a few hours at night. I thought it might take the edge off of the cold. Omega hen sleeps in a nest box, and I felt badly or her.
I stopped doing the light thing about 3 weeks ago when my 3 new chickens were ready for the coop. 2 pullets and a roo, if that makes a difference. They are 16 weeks old. I didn't want those hooligans to knock down the lamp and felt better wig more chickens in the coop.
So, I think adding light worked to jump start the EE. I didn't mean to do that, but clearly see I should have considered it. Now that I've stopped the light, did I damage her at all?
Or, is there another reason she stopped laying? Thank you!
My EE hen was laying from September to November when she stopped abruptly. She went into a molt soon afterwards. She resumed laying about 4 weeks ago. We got 6 eggs a week, like clockwork. About a week ago, she looked egg bound. She was puffed up and had a dropped tail. She was in and out of the nest box an I though we were in trouble. But a few hours later, she passed the egg. It was a nice big one and she looked totally normal.
That was it! No more eggs since then.
So, about 6-8 weeks ago we had a real cold snap. There were only the two of them out there, so I started running the heat lamp for a few hours at night. I thought it might take the edge off of the cold. Omega hen sleeps in a nest box, and I felt badly or her.
I stopped doing the light thing about 3 weeks ago when my 3 new chickens were ready for the coop. 2 pullets and a roo, if that makes a difference. They are 16 weeks old. I didn't want those hooligans to knock down the lamp and felt better wig more chickens in the coop.
So, I think adding light worked to jump start the EE. I didn't mean to do that, but clearly see I should have considered it. Now that I've stopped the light, did I damage her at all?
Or, is there another reason she stopped laying? Thank you!
