Hen hasn't layed in a week, why?

[Raincitykitty]

Hi, I have two hens, a Barred Rock and an Americauna. The Americauna is 2 years old and generally a steady layer (6 lovely green eggs a week, except in winter). All of a sudden, she stopped laying last week. She's acting normal otherwise--eating, drinking, roaming about with the other hen. Her poop is watery but always has been from the time we got her. She doesn't seem distressed as far as I can tell. The Barred Rock is continuing to lay as normal.

What could be wrong? What should I be looking for?

 

[tiny_tam]

Chickens don't like to reveal their weaknesses. It's a predator defense. So she may have a sickness that she's not letting show. Chickens only look sick when it is really quite severe and getting them down. Perhaps think about parasites - such as worms or red mites - that might be slowly working away at her system. Egg laying would be the first thing she would shut down. Is it very hot where you live? Watery droppings are a way to release heat. But if it is too hot, she may not lay. If her droppings have always been watery, maybe she has a slow-acting infection which is now getting to her. Chickens also stop laying for the molt. Normally this is when they are about 1.5 years old and during the fall, but this can vary. Maybe she is going to have her first molt now.

 

[azygous]

If you've been offering lots of treats lately, she could be starved for the necessary nutrients that contribute to her body's burden of producing eggs. It's very demanding and require at 100-105 grams of protein a day for a five-pound hen. Frequent, generous treats and table scraps dilute that.

As @tiny_tam pointed out, you need to watch her behavior for signs she could be getting ill with an infection. Look for swollen abdomen just below her vent. Look for a progression toward lethargy and tail held low and flat, appetite off.

If she's had a stressful event lately, that can put her off laying. However, after a period of steady laying, sometimes a hen will take a break for a week or two to reset her laying schedule. As long as she behaved normally, this could be why she's quit laying - she just needs a short break.

 

[Raincitykitty]

Chickens don't like to reveal their weaknesses. It's a predator defense. So she may have a sickness that she's not letting show. Chickens only look sick when it is really quite severe and getting them down. Perhaps think about parasites - such as worms or red mites - that might be slowly working away at her system. Egg laying would be the first thing she would shut down. Is it very hot where you live? Watery droppings are a way to release heat. But if it is too hot, she may not lay. If her droppings have always been watery, maybe she has a slow-acting infection which is now getting to her. Chickens also stop laying for the molt. Normally this is when they are about 1.5 years old and during the fall, but this can vary. Maybe she is going to have her first molt now.

Thanks! I live in Seattle, so temperatures are around 50-60 degrees F right now, quite comfortable. Is there a way to check for parasites or mites? Or something I can add to their food or water that would help if that's the issue? She's not molting, that happened in the fall.

 

[Gray Farms]

Check around the vent and under the wing. That's where mites typically congregate.

 

[tiny_tam]

For red mite, check the house after the chickens have gone out in the morning. Red mites don't live on the birds; they just suck their blood overnight. Then they retire to a crack in the chicken house during the day. If you check the perch in the morning, you may see tiny little red bugs under the perch or moving towards the ends of the perch. Look hard because they are tiny. We spread Neem oil under the perch and at the ends. Then once a year (when it starts warming up), I clean the house out with a hose or jet wash. After that I spray with an organic red mite deterrent. Then through the summer I spread Neem oil under the perch and at the ends. They are only present in the summer.

In the water, a drop of unpasteurized apple cider vinegar helps fight infections. If you can't buy unpasteurized, you can make it easily from apple peelings (there are lots of recipes on the Internet).

If you see dirty feathers below her vent, she probably has internal parasites (worms).The only remedy I know is to buy a pharmaceutical wormer and treat her. The medicine and treatment method will depend on what is available in your area. There are also various herbal treatments you can use on a regular basis as a preventive measure - again, see what is available in stores and online in your country.

 

[aart]

roaming about with the other hen.

Do you free range?
She might have found a new place to lay in range area.

 

[Raincitykitty]

When I came home last night I found she had laid an egg--and another one today! So I guess you guys were right, she was just taking a break.