Hen squawking, but not laying!

[5BeachHens]

Hi BYC friends. Need your advise. I have a 13 month old hen who has not laid an egg in 4 days. She goes in the nesting box for about an hour (her normal time) squawking on the way in and on the way out (as she normally does) but does not lay an egg.

Her sister is molting -- an early molt but the vet said it was fine. She shows no signs of loosing feathers.

Could she be molting too?

I felt around her fluffy bottom and do not feel anything hard like an impacted egg. Would I feel one if there was one???

Thank you in advance for any advise!

 

[bobthebunny]

The same thing happened to my hen a while back she sat in the nesting box for a hour even got into her egg laying position grunted and everything didn't lay a single egg I stressed but in no time at all a week at most she layed a nice baby egg and after that she was fine I think it was something in her environment not enough grass hoppers not enough water could be anything 4 days isn't much but if it lasts more then a week I would defiantly take her to the vet. Good luck.

Do you live in a state where the high is triple digits like Texas or Arizona?

 

[5BeachHens]

Thanks for your response! I'll give it a few more days. I live by the coast in CA so it has been a mild in the 70s all summer.

 

[MyPetNugget]

What breed is she? Does she lay every day?

 

[bobthebunny]

You are so lucky in Texas right know its so hot I get my chickens wet so they don't get over heated and get heatstroke.

 

[5BeachHens]

She is a Welsummer. She is not a stellar layer - but skipping 4 days is excessive for her.

 

[MyPetNugget]

Hmm. Has it gotten suddenly hotter or colder where you live? Sometimes that will make them stop laying for a while.

 

[smally2008]

I have a white silkie and she hasn't laid for a while is this normal ?

 

[5BeachHens]

No, no change in weather.

 

[chickenbyddozn]

The climate here has been mid 90's I have 60 layers and only getting 13-20 eggs a day.... Mine were born 2/14/14 so at seven months I should be getting more.... Must be the heat!