MAYBE SHE'S JUST "BROKEN"

[Chickaroo!]

I have a RIR hen. I got her as an adult so I don't know how old she is. I've had her since Oct. '07. When I brought her home, she was layed an egg the next morning and continued that way for a couple of months.

Now she hasn't layed in months and months. She does go into the nest box frequently whether there is someone else's egg in there or not. When I reach in to touch her she hunkers down like she's scared. She doesn't "growl" or peck at me at all. She'll even sometimes just come out of the box. Other then that, she's fine.

Is she just "broken"?? Is maybe her laying time just over?

 

[Chickaroo!]

Anyone have any clue???

 

[PoultryPedia]

I have a hen, Rosey, like that, but I think from different cause.
She came in a trio. I think all 3 might have had some kind of leukosis (which I think is similar to cancer?). All 3 were subdued and non-energetic when I got them. The other hen was lying dead one morning a couple weeks later. The cockerel I put down after several months.
Rosey laid eggs for a number of months and gradually became lively and more healthy looking (redder comb, etc.). Then she gradually quit laying. This last year she only lay 2 eggs and they were the size of robins' eggs!!
I think hens sometimes get various illnesses that make them quit laying.

 

[Chickaroo!]

So you think she is sick? That she has some sort of illness!?

That worries me

 

[Lammie]

In hot weather, my hens don't always lay every day, and in cold weather they can go for a long time. Not enough daylight.

Is she in a dark area? Maybe she is just old. I have an 8 year old Red Production hen that no longer lays except once in a great while. I keep her because she was one of my first chickens.

 

[Chickaroo!]

Yes, the area is pretty dark. My other hens (a black sex link) and my one that just died yesterday (a red sex link) layed just about everyday.
If age were the case, would she still spend long periods of time in the nest box? Is that something they always continue to do?

 

[PoultryPedia]

For a long time, Rosey didn't. Now she is frequently in the nest when I go in the coop.
I've wondered about that too. Maybe it's instinct or something--kind of like how a declawed cat will still run over & "scratch" the couch when it's excited or feeling good.

 

[Barnyard]

Could you tell us why/how your others died? There may be more going on with your flock then you realize.

 

[Chickaroo!]

Well, my barred rock died 5 mo. after I brought her home. I let her out in the morning and she was fine. Went out to check on all of them about 3 hours later and she was laying on her side, dead. The red sex link that died yesterday seemed lethargic the day before. She layed a soft shelled egg earlier in the morning, but still seemed just not herself. By the next morning she was very lethargic and seemed to be shivering and panting slightly so I brought her in the house. I couldn't get her to eat or drink anything. I was dribbling water onto her beak, but she was drooling. About 4 hours later she died.