How to make hen STOP laying?

[flockoffour]

I suspect one of my hens has been laying internally. She stopped laying a couple years ago and has a firm, enlarged abdomen area along her body beneath her vent. This "lump" has fluctuated in size over time, sometimes diminishing to being very small, or sometimes feeling very large and lumpy... it differs over the course of several months. I am wondering if she has been laying internally and is just somehow able to absorb the eggs if she stops ovulating for a period of time? And maybe that would explain why the lump has grown and decreased multiple times over the past couple years?

Is there any way to cause her to stop ovulating? I have thought about keeping her in dark for some time, Leupron (but expensive and I'm not sure if I can get it in my area), only offering enough food for maintenance.

Are there any supplements/etc that would cause her to stop? Any other considerations on this problem or advice on other methods of treatment would be greatly appreciated.

She is otherwise healthy besides having the large, rather heavy lump.

Thanks!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I can't really offer any helpful advice. I too have an older hen, an 8 year old buff Orpington hen who internally lays. She seems to drop about one egg a month during the warmer months and it takes about 3 weeks for her to absorb it and feel better. She seems fine most days so I haven't the heart to cull her. She's been doing so for about 3 years now.

Most ways of bringing hens out of production are vaguely cruel like keeping them in the dark and not feeding them so I wouldn't recommend going that route. If you have access to a vet that sees chickens perhaps they would be able to help. I have noticed my hen tries to fill up on lower protein feeds, so perhaps trying to limit her protein intake might help though I haven't tried doing so intentionally with mine.

 

[Akrnaf2]

I suspect one of my hens has been laying internally. She stopped laying a couple years ago and has a firm, enlarged abdomen area along her body beneath her vent. This "lump" has fluctuated in size over time, sometimes diminishing to being very small, or sometimes feeling very large and lumpy... it differs over the course of several months. I am wondering if she has been laying internally and is just somehow able to absorb the eggs if she stops ovulating for a period of time? And maybe that would explain why the lump has grown and decreased multiple times over the past couple years?

Is there any way to cause her to stop ovulating? I have thought about keeping her in dark for some time, Leupron (but expensive and I'm not sure if I can get it in my area), only offering enough food for maintenance.

Are there any supplements/etc that would cause her to stop? Any other considerations on this problem or advice on other methods of treatment would be greatly appreciated.

She is otherwise healthy besides having the large, rather heavy lump.

Thanks!

In my opinion internal laying is beyond help.
But if you want to stop here from ovulation you should put her in a completely dark space 14 hours or more, every day. ( some hours in the afternoon and all the night )

 

[Akrnaf2]

You can also supply it some LH hormone that will inhibit the secretion of the LH -GnRH so the ovulation cycle will stop. It is like an anti pregnancy pills. But I have never heard of anyone done it before in chickens.