Is this hen done laying?

[Stefrobrts]

Last year someone in our small town was moving, and they advertised two adult buff O hens for cheap, so I snapped them up. They were both laying, and laid all winter and spring, but slowed down when the heat came. Now that it's cool again one has picked up laying again, but the other has not. I'll try to include a picture of each. The one who is not laying has a very pale, dusty looking comb. She's also just finished moulting and still has some pinfeathers on her head. Any way to tell if she might start laying again, or is she just done? She's not going in the stewpot either way, she's very friendly and we have lots of room. I'm just curious.

 

[animal_lover03]

She may lay once in a while, I'm not much of a chicken expert but thats what I think.

 

[fordmommy]

I read somewhere that some chickens can lay up to 14-16 years. But the production is slow. Some chickens in can live to be older than that. But it does take them a while to lay after a moult. Give her some time. I think she'll come around.

 

[gsim]

Try Vit B12 methylcobylanim capsules (spelling ?). Mix contents in her food. 2 weeks and then forget it if no response. Boosts red blood cells and appetite. Also, she might have hookworms? They make eyelids and gums on dogs look pale. Just a wild guess. Can be killed with various herbal methods and also black walnut tincture. Not sure if chickens get hookworms tho. I am a newbie for chickens.

 

[gsim]

Always be careful of adding new chickens to your flock. You take a big chance of diseases that can decimate or cripple your flock. Large successful hatcheries operate extremely bio-clean facilities and do not even alow visitors for fear of contamination.

 

[PortageGirl]

Wow Stefrobrts, she just looks OLD, and I'M old!!! ...Get her some extra protein, which is good during a molt, some vitamins, (polyvisol is what I use, I'm not sure about the Methylcobalamin that gsim suggested but if gsim uses it without danger may be ok)... as far as worming goes, it's not great to do during a molt, but yeah, that's a possibility.

How's her weight? Is she alert with a good appetite? she may just need more time to recover from her molt.

Good Luck, but I'm glad she has a safe home no matter what!!! Oh, I wanted to make a joke about getting her some Oil of Olay to help her self esteem since she looks rather old, but I thought someone might take it seriously and try it!