I need HELP for Poor St. Clare!

[LindaWonder]

I have four chickens in a first-class environment. Weeks and weeks ago, St. Clare stopped eating. We had a vet examine her. Something was stuck in her "throat". Surgery was suggested but I treated her by pipetting a bit of olive oil down her gullet and massaging it gently. Wonder of wonders, she recovered. Soon she was eating and hanging out with her three sisters...BUT she doesn't lay eggs anymore. Weeks have gone by...Recently, she seems a bit ragged. She's missing her main tail feathers. Are her sisters beating up on her. Is she okay? How can I tell? and what can I do?

 

[SulkyBantam]

Sounds like bullying.
Separate her and see if she improves.
Check that she is not eggbound but if its cold she's stopped for the year.

 

[keesmom]

Sounds like a molt. If you are north of the equator it's that time of year. They will stop laying while molting.

 

[Sally PB]

I have an 8 month old pullet going through a partial molt now. She isn't laying at all. The other two lay every second or third day.

 

[sourland]

Can you post a picture. Stress of her illness may have caused a molt.

 

[LindaWonder]

Thank you. I probably need to understand molting (and egg-laying in winter). I have not seen any bullying. I am new to this chicken world...I had no idea how much I would love these sweet creatures. XXX, Linda

 

[LindaWonder]

Thank you. I probably need to understand molting (and egg-laying in winter). I have not seen any bullying. I am new to this chicken world...I had no idea how much I would love these sweet creatures. XXX, Linda

 

[CrazyTownChick]

Thank you. I probably need to understand molting (and egg-laying in winter). I have not seen any bullying. I am new to this chicken world...I had no idea how much I would love these sweet creatures. XXX, Linda

Isn't that the truth!?!?! They are intelligent, sweet, funny, quirky, teenager-like, and adorable creatures!

 

[aart]

Thank you. I probably need to understand molting (and egg-laying in winter). I have not seen any bullying. I am new to this chicken world...I had no idea how much I would love these sweet creatures. XXX, Linda

Here's the basics:
Chickens have 2-3 molts (old feathers fall out as new ones grow in) between hatch and about 6 months old.
Some pullets will have partial molt their first fall/winter.
They will have their first full adult molt during their second fall/winter.

Both molting and cessation of lay is mostly influenced but the amount of daylight, not temperatures. The days begin to shorten in June(in the northern hemisphere), some of my birds start molting in late August, some wait until Nov/Dec.
Pullets may lay all winter without supplemental lighting, adult birds will not.