My 8 month old hen stopped squatting and laying

[Daiva]

I have a Blue Andalusian who up until about a month ago was one of my best layers and now I haven't seen an egg from her in about a month. She has stopped squatting, actually most of the time she chirps like a chick instead of doing the big girl clucking, doesn't have much of an appetite, looks like she lost some weight, does a lot of laying around and is not very active. Just not acting her old self at all.
A couple of weeks ago she was egg bound, and after some warm epsom salt baths she managed to pass an egg with no shell and no egg white, just a yolk and a membrane. When I hold her, I feel an egg shaped lump in her abdomen, but she is no longer really acting like she's egg bound like she did a couple of weeks ago. Also, she is constantly preening herself and pulling out the feathers. They are everywhere! I checked for mites or lice, but could not see anything, other than a lot of feathers missing, a lot of feather shafts, and dry flaky skin. Now I've started treating her for depluming mites, just in case, as I know those cannot be seen with a naked eye. I've suspected egg yolk peritonitis, but she does not have all the symptoms. She used to go to nesting boxes repeatedly and lay nothing, but she is no longer doing that.
I am at a loss! Any ideas, or anyone who's had anything like this happen, please help me figure this out. She is still eating and drinking, but not much. I haven't seen her dust bathe in a long time.
She is one of the 6 hens I have. All different breeds. I feed them organic corn and soy free feed, they get fresh greens every day, BOSS and mealworms, and free choice oyster shells. They also spend their entire days outside in the enclosed area with lots of space with sunny and shady spots. I clean their coop daily, they have plenty of nesting boxes, fresh water every day, dust bathing areas, everything they need. I need to solve this mystery. Thank you!

 

[WindyTam]

I am quite new to chickens, and am waiting for my first eggs any day now...I have read that sometimes they have blockages that could be caused by possible worms? I have been giving my flock lots of frozen pumpkin "cupcakes" to try to prevent that possibility. I feel like a new mom, imagining every sort of scenario and how reading up from the folks here. I'm so glad there is a lot of experience to pull from on BYC!!‍

 

[Daiva]

Thank you for suggestion about the worms. Since I clean their coop daily, I look at their poop to check for worms often. They definitely don’t have them. I’ve considered so many causes and been doing research non stop, it’s drivng me nuts! I’m also pretty new at this, so I’m sure I’m missing something...

 

[getaclue]

Welcome to BYC!

There may be several things going on, but the first thing that comes to mind, from your description, is that she may be molting. Her nutrition is going into making new feathers, not into egg making, and she needs more protein, and possibly calcium. Try adding a bit of canned cat food to her diet, and free choice oyster shell. There is a possibility she needs worming, but I would hold off on that for a few days to see how the increased protein, and calcium do.

I dislike worming chickens when they are in molt, but worms can be a serious threat Are her comb, and wattles a bit pale? That is typically one of the signs. As I said before, try adding a bit of canned cat food, and free choice oyster shell first, and give it a few days. If that helps straighten things out, continue. If it doesn't, then worm her.

 

[Daiva]

Welcome to BYC!

There may be several things going on, but the first thing that comes to mind, from your description, is that she may be molting. Her nutrition is going into making new feathers, not into egg making, and she needs more protein, and possibly calcium. Try adding a bit of canned cat food to her diet, and free choice oyster shell. There is a possibility she needs worming, but I would hold off on that for a few days to see how the increased protein, and calcium do.

I dislike worming chickens when they are in molt, but worms can be a serious threat Are her comb, and wattles a bit pale? That is typically one of the signs. As I said before, try adding a bit of canned cat food, and free choice oyster shell first, and give it a few days. If that helps straighten things out, continue. If it doesn't, then worm her.

I’ve thought of that too, but then remembered reading that chickens don’t go into their first molt until they are 18 months old. She is only 8, so that is not likely. As for worms, would I be able to see them with the naked eye in her poop? Her poops are healthy looking, nothing unusual, but quite small. I figured that is probably because she isn’t eating much.

 

[sbhkma]

You most likely will not see worms in her poop unless it's a heavy roundworm infestation. And while chickens "usually" don't molt that young, I suspect they don't read the manual!

 

[getaclue]

You are correct about not going into molt that young. Since you didn't exactly mention her age, I started with the most common problem, that fit with your symptoms. I sincerely hope we can find a much easier explanation for her symptoms, than egg yolk peritonitis. You said she is preening, and pulling out feathers. Some mites only come out at night. I think, if it were me, I would try the Ivermectin pour on. If it's mites, the Ivermectin should help, and can possibly help with roundworms. I had asked if her comb and wattles are a bit pale.

 

[getaclue]

I would still up her calcium a little, in addition to the Ivermectin.

 

[getaclue]

Is her abdomen swollen?

 

[Trish1974]

Since you didn't exactly mention her age

Age was stated in thread title.