- Sep 25, 2009
- 3
- 0
- 7
Hello Everyone,
I have some concerns about my chickens. My young 5 month old chickens are doing great and starting to lay!! But I have 2 buff orpingtons about 2 years old now that I've had for 6 months and they started out laying 4-5 eggs a week with big strong eggs. The one I am more concerned about molted a few months ago. Then she started laying again for a couple weeks and went broody, started laying again and went broody again! She has not started laying again after going broody the second time which has been more about 6-7 weeks. I've wormed her, keep the coop very clean and there are no external parasites. Her comb and wattle are very small, her feathers look dull, and she seems skinny. But she eats great, seems happy, and does not appear to feel sick. My two old english game hens have the same appearance as her and also have not layed any eggs in months. Is there some other disease or sickness that I am missing?
My other buff stopped laying when the above buff went broody the second time. She seems super healthy and happy. Her feathers are huge and puffy, comb and wattle are huge, and she appears to be the dominate female. Did she turn butch or rooster like (since I have no rooster)?
Just for background info...I make my own feed with organic oat groats, wheat berries, flax seeds, millet, and rye berries, with various other grains and seeds. The chickens get all of our fruit and veggie scraps, lots and lots of pears and apples, and anything our garden produces too much of. My first thought is that maybe they are not getting enough nutrients but I do believe that they get plenty of food.
Thank you so much!
12 chickens, 2 goats, 4 cats, 1 dog, 4 kids, and hubby of course.
I have some concerns about my chickens. My young 5 month old chickens are doing great and starting to lay!! But I have 2 buff orpingtons about 2 years old now that I've had for 6 months and they started out laying 4-5 eggs a week with big strong eggs. The one I am more concerned about molted a few months ago. Then she started laying again for a couple weeks and went broody, started laying again and went broody again! She has not started laying again after going broody the second time which has been more about 6-7 weeks. I've wormed her, keep the coop very clean and there are no external parasites. Her comb and wattle are very small, her feathers look dull, and she seems skinny. But she eats great, seems happy, and does not appear to feel sick. My two old english game hens have the same appearance as her and also have not layed any eggs in months. Is there some other disease or sickness that I am missing?
My other buff stopped laying when the above buff went broody the second time. She seems super healthy and happy. Her feathers are huge and puffy, comb and wattle are huge, and she appears to be the dominate female. Did she turn butch or rooster like (since I have no rooster)?
Just for background info...I make my own feed with organic oat groats, wheat berries, flax seeds, millet, and rye berries, with various other grains and seeds. The chickens get all of our fruit and veggie scraps, lots and lots of pears and apples, and anything our garden produces too much of. My first thought is that maybe they are not getting enough nutrients but I do believe that they get plenty of food.
Thank you so much!
12 chickens, 2 goats, 4 cats, 1 dog, 4 kids, and hubby of course.
