My 3 year old hen, is no longer laying

[redfish067]

let me start by saying "hello all" and I would appreciate any suggestions that are given.

I live in the "suburbs" of New Orleans (I know, I know) but hey you have to live somewhere.
I "had" 3 hens, all same age about 3 years old and they were pretty much laying everyday. Very happy, roaming around the back yard eating all of the bugs, and eating ALOT of the weeds. They were a Bantam, a Dominic, and a Red Sextling (miss spelled all of them), so I was getting a GOOD bunch of eggs everyday.
well living in the "burbs" has its drawbacks too. You see 2 Dogs dug under my fence, and killed and drug off the Dominic, and the Red Sextling. and the Bantam, flew over the fence into the neighbors yard, so they didn't get her.
that was 3/4 months ago, and she gets in the "laying box" and sets, her face and cone also get pale but dosent ever lay any eggs. I have seen her up in the box 2/3 times in the same day, but no eggs. After the incident, she would just roam around the yard, "Whining" and I tried to spend some extera time with her, to try and Cheer her up.
Someone gave us 5 chicks , and she seems to be taking to them, but I don't know what else to do for her.
What can I do to "help" her to lay??
thanks in advance for any help.

 

[cafarmgirl]

She is at an age where internal laying often becomes an issue. Hens will often sit in the box each day or multiple times a day but no egg. If that is what's going on, or if it's some other reproductive tract problem, there's not a lot you can do.

What is she being fed? Has she ever been dewormed and have you checked her for mites?

 

[redfish067]

she gets cracked corn, mixed with a variety of wild bird seeds as well as any bugs, worms she can find.
no she hasent ever been wormed. never really even thought about it. I guess I can get some "de-wormer" from the feed store??
and I don't see her pulling or scratching, and I havent seen any bald spots, but I will check her for mites
its weird, because she was #3 in the pecking order, and now she is #1, she was laying every day or at least every other day, and now nothing.
what about laying mash??? do you think that might help??

 

[cafarmgirl]

I would definitely be feeding them some kind of commercial layer feed, they really need the balanced nutrition and added calcium when they are laying. Corn and seeds are woefully short on nutrition for a laying hen.

Is she by any chance getting ready to molt? Many of my birds have stopped laying and feathers are starting to fall.

If you decide to deworm I'd use Valbazen or Safeguard for goats, both are liquid and easy to administer. GIve 0.5 cc to each standard size bird with a small, needless syringe. Repeat the dose in 10 days. If she is indeed starting to molt go with the Valbazen.

And again, this could be something else altogether but ruling out internal and external parasites and making sure they are getting good nutrition is where I'd start.

 

[redfish067]

Thanks I will look getting her some Valbazen or Safeguard for goats they have a feed store not far from me. and I alos will get her some laying feed..
she hasent started molting yet.
thanks for the sdvice