Hen hasn't laid in 14 days !!!??!! Need help

[choptank330]

I have a Easter Egger, she will be a year old in November. She was and has been one of my best laying chickens. She even laid me a couple double yolkers. For the last 14 days I haven't gotten an egg from her. She doesn't seem lethargic, she eats well has been dust bathing. Has oyster shells available. I don't think she's moulting, she isn't loosing any feathers. I'm worried. Does anyone have any idea of what might be going on? She is in a pen, she can't get out. No possible places she's laying that I couldn't see. I'm at a loss !!!

 

[fishnet1971]

Are you positive she is not starting to molt? My EE started her first molt and I freaked out because she wasnt laying and i couldnt even tell for about 4 weeks. it was so slow I didnt notice it. Check for tiny pin feathers just here and there. Look really good.

Is her abdomen swollen at all? how are her poops? look normal?

 

[choptank330]

I have not had a chance to look at her feathers this morning, but he abdomen is not swollen, and her poop looks fine.

 

[GingerJane]

She could be preparing for a molt, I am almost 99% sure she is STARTING a molt, happens to my chickens every single year. Don't worry

she

will lay again, it will just a while, you're going to have to wait, it depends on the hen herself, I had two chickens that went through a molt,

one hen (Freeda) didn't lay for a month and a half, and the other hen (Chanel) didn't lay for 2-3 weeks then !BAM! she started laying

everyday

like she did before! This is molting season for chickens right now, so don't be surprised if your chickens start doing strange egg laying

behaviors it's all normal!

 

[choptank330]

You guys are right, I saw small feathers coming in !!!!! Yayyyyy

 

[fishnet1971]

Yippy!!!!!!

 

[lauranickerson]

I just got 5 laying hens off of Craigslist that are about 2 years old. The lady said they were molting. They were also infested with lice (which I didn't see until I got them home), among other things.

Could it be molt? Their feathers look pretty rough right now. In the month I've had them, I've MAYBE gotten about 6 eggs altogether....from all 5 of them!

 

[mithious]

I just got 5 laying hens off of Craigslist that are about 2 years old. The lady said they were molting. They were also infested with lice (which I didn't see until I got them home), among other things.

Could it be molt? Their feathers look pretty rough right now. In the month I've had them, I've MAYBE gotten about 6 eggs altogether....from all 5 of them!

Oh no, Craigs list is where everyone goes to get rid of chickens they can not, or will not put down, due to disease, old age, being a roo they can't keep...I assume you treated them for the lice? Hopefully they have no other things wrong or diseases that will rear their ugly heads. They obviously came from someone that was NOT taking care of them, so I highly suspect they are MUCH older than you were told. Best of luck and if I were you, next time order from a hatchery, or a breeder on BYC...stay away from Craigs list altogether...sooo sorry!!!! Even chicks at the feed store and TSC or "private" sales are suspect and you could be asking for trouble...best to stick with KNOWN places, people, ect that consistently produce healthy chicks!!!

 

[lauranickerson]

Oh no, Craigs list is where everyone goes to get rid of chickens they can not, or will not put down, due to disease, old age, being a roo they can't keep...I assume you treated them for the lice? Hopefully they have no other things wrong or diseases that will rear their ugly heads. They obviously came from someone that was NOT taking care of them, so I highly suspect they are MUCH older than you were told. Best of luck and if I were you, next time order from a hatchery, or a breeder on BYC...stay away from Craigs list altogether...sooo sorry!!!! Even chicks at the feed store and TSC or "private" sales are suspect and you could be asking for trouble...best to stick with KNOWN places, people, ect that consistently produce healthy chicks!!!

I believe I've gotten the lice problem solved. When I went to her house, there were still chickens in nest boxes laying eggs, and she said they were all 2 years old or younger (whether she told the truth or not). She was only keeping a select few because she was getting surgery that would have her on bed rest for 6 months or whatever, and she had about 70 hens. There was only 1 rooster, so I knew the feather loss wasn't from over-mating. I asked BYC if there are sicknesses that cause feather loss, and no one has heard of any, so I figured she was telling the truth about the molting.

One of the hens had/has vent gleet, and I see some weird poos every once in a while. Someone suggested worming them all, so I might try that before I integrate them with my main flock. I hope it's nothing serious.

I'll just say...I learned my lesson with buying off Craigslist. I have gotten a few different batches from people off of Craigslist with no problems, but this time has given me an excessive amount of stress...

 

[choptank330]

I agree!! Never buy off craigslist. I hope your problem gets fixed!! Smart not mixing them with the others yet!