My beloved Silkie hen still off lay from winter!

[RussianChickens]

My lovely hen Allie is still of lay from winter. She layed one egg this spring and not another for at least 3 months now. She often would lay slightly misshapen eggs and layed a couple rubbers last year but then went back to laying thin shelled but fairly normal eggs. Normal for her, she'd lay one every two days

This spring she is not laying at all.

She feels kinda fat but other ways seams really healthy.

Shes about 3 years old now. Shes a show hen so not really used for eggs but I'd like to hatch some chicks from her and my SQ silkie roo this summer.

I have been feeding good feed and giving the poultry grit with oyster shell.



Anyone know whats wrong? Is this a bad sign for my beloved hen or nothing to worry about?

 

[Stiggy]

Silkies are not known for their laying ability... if she has free access to grit, and the eggs are still thin shelled or rubbery, try feeding her come cheese ( others say milk and youghurt but I have found that it is not good for Silkies as it tends to get in their hair, eyes and up their sinuses ) however small ammounts of cheese, eg soft cheese or grated cheese, and maybe some meat ( for the protein) . If she isn't egg bound then I wouldn't worry to much, but if you are worried then take her along to the vet who may x ray her to make sure there isn't anything internal going on. There is nothing wrong with a slightly fat hen, I swear they are the happiest of all

 

[RussianChickens]

Silkies are not known for their laying ability... if she has free access to grit, and the eggs are still thin shelled or rubbery, try feeding her come cheese ( others say milk and youghurt but I have found that it is not good for Silkies as it tends to get in their hair, eyes and up their sinuses ) however small ammounts of cheese, eg soft cheese or grated cheese, and maybe some meat ( for the protein) . If she isn't egg bound then I wouldn't worry to much, but if you are worried then take her along to the vet who may x ray her to make sure there isn't anything internal going on. There is nothing wrong with a slightly fat hen, I swear they are the happiest of all

There are no vets in my area that will deal with chickens unfortunately. None for 400 or so miles, even then they are extremely expensive from what I've heard. I don't know that I could ever get her to a vet.

I'm pretty sure if she were egg bound she's be dead right now. I haven't noticed her acting funny or anything yet. I tried to feel for a stuck egg but all I could feel was a squishy fat hen Lol. my other cochin living with her is not quite so plump.

I don't know what's normal for silkies.


She IS inside the barn with not much direct light, doesn't affect my cochin producing an egg a day. I will be moving them outside once I have the new breeding pens set up in a few months and the rainy season is over.

 

[Stiggy]

that's true, if she was egg bound then you are correct, I doubt the sunlight would have a massive effect but I guess its possible. there is a weight standered for silkies, tho I cant remember what it is and its fro smaller boned/ framed hens. I think its 900grams for a hen or something but most of mine are over that due to the bigger frame size

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

This hen (a pullet in this picture, but a little over a year old now), while quite lovely, is a very sporadic layer. She'll lay an egg or two one week and then I won't see another one for two months. And she took a loooong break over the winter and didn't start up again until the weather was consistently warm.

It really just depends on their genetics I think.

This hen (the above hens mother), is almost 3 years old and still lays several eggs a week, when she's not brooding. You'll typically get wonky eggs as they age, which the above hen is also doing.

 

[RussianChickens]

This hen (a pullet in this picture, but a little over a year old now), while quite lovely, is a very sporadic layer. She'll lay an egg or two one week and then I won't see another one for two months. And she took a loooong break over the winter and didn't start up again until the weather was consistently warm.

It really just depends on their genetics I think.

This hen (the above hens mother), is almost 3 years old and still lays several eggs a week, when she's not brooding. You'll typically get wonky eggs as they age, which the above hen is also doing.

Thanks, now I'm not so worried about her lol I'd still like to get a couple chicks from my silly girl this summer