My best egg layer quit!

[chxmommajess]

Hi! I'm Jess, I live near Ann Arbor MI. This is my first post although I have come here for advice and guidance many times over the years through google searches.

I currently have two chickens. Sakura is my bantam double laced silver barnvelder. "Tree puff" (a young child named her) is a large smaaland hen. They are both coming up on their second birthday. Historically, Tree Puff has been a great layer producing an egg almost every day. She even laid through the winter producing four or five eggs a week.

A few things happened at approximately the same time. Spring started to show itself so I pulled the heat lamp out of their roost. Tree Puff definitely rules the roost, she's big, territorial, noisier, (even has a strangely large comb). She preens the little one and protects her from perceived threats. Around this time she started pulling out the feathers on Sakura's head and neck on the roost. They started to grow back after putting some no-peck on her, but one day about a week later when I was letting them free range I noticed Sakarura had several pecking injuries to her neck and head. I pay very close attention to them, this has never happened before. Like this forum often suggests... I jailed the bully while treating the injured.

I created a very humane enclosure within the coop where Tree Puff had plenty of room to move around, go outside, and still socialize with Sakura. She HATED it. She's very active and did not appreciate the enclosure. I still let them free range together under supervision for a half h our each day. After 3-4 days when Sakura's wounds were closed up, I reintroduced them. Tree puff still pulls occasional feather from Sakura's neck, but no injuries or significant trauma.

Anyway- Tree Puff stopped laying. She hasn't laid in a few weeks. It stopped around the time the light was pulled, she began to bully, and was jailed. I'm wondering if there are connections here and if so, what can I do besides continue to care for her like my pet? I also understand that chickens can biochemically transition to Roosters, but I don't know a lot about this. Could this be happening? I sure hope not.. I love her eggs, but will love her and care for her anyway.

Sorry for the long post- any suggestions? Thanks ahead of time for the flock of ideas See pictures of my babes below.

 

[azygous]

If Tree-puff laid through the winter months, she may not have molted, and is getting ready to do so now. Do you think this is a possibility? A molting chicken will have a solid patch of emerging pin feathers in balding places. Check her for this.

Laying can be interrupted by stress, diet lacking in protein and calcium and vitamin D3.

Gender transitions in chickens usually require an intense external trigger or an injury to the left ovary, triggering the right ovary to produce androgens which will cause the hen to develop male sex characteristics and behavior. While it does happen, it's rare.

 

[chxmommajess]

Thanks for your response, she had her first molt in the fall of last year. How long does it usually take for a chicken to start laying after a stressful event? Could her light coming down be stressful to her? Or her interactions with the bantam? I'm pretty confident she stopped laying prior to her incarceration. What could be bothering her that wouldn't be bothering my little one? Bedding is clean and dry, ample clean food and water. Sakura has been laying. I haven't really noticed any personality changes in either with the exception of a bit more agression by Tree Puff's a few weeks back.

I realize it is unlikely here, but for my curiosity- what kind of triggers result in gender transformations?

 

[azygous]

Read this about chicken sex change. https://www.livescience.com/13514-sex-change-chicken-gertie-hen-bertie-cockerel.html

Stress to one chicken can affect them while similar stress won't phase another. I have two different breeds of baby chicks right now, and the Andelusians are skittish while the sex links are so laid back, nothing startles them. All six chicks are very calm and friendly, though. So breed and temperament play roles.

Nothing other than Tree-puff deciding she needs a little vacation may be going on. You can treat her with a little extra protein for a few days and see if that sweetens the pot. Fancy Feast wet cat food is a big hit with chickens.

 

[chxmommajess]

Read this about chicken sex change. https://www.livescience.com/13514-sex-change-chicken-gertie-hen-bertie-cockerel.html

Stress to one chicken can affect them while similar stress won't phase another. I have two different breeds of baby chicks right now, and the Andelusians are skittish while the sex links are so laid back, nothing startles them. All six chicks are very calm and friendly, though. So breed and temperament play roles.

Nothing other than Tree-puff deciding she needs a little vacation may be going on. You can treat her with a little extra protein for a few days and see if that sweetens the pot. Fancy Feast wet cat food is a big hit with chickens.

Thanks again for the feedback. I hope she's just taking a little vacay. Chickens are so funny, mine turned their noses up at the wet cat food. I've been giving them worms, so hopefully that will suffice for a little protein boost.

 

[chxmommajess]

Tried adding protein, and calcium. Still no eggs

 

[azygous]

Have you examined the coop and nests for parasites? That can cause as much stress to hens as mosquitoes cause us to want to scream in frustration. Mites can also cause anemia in hens which would affect laying in addition to the stress.

 

[chxmommajess]

Have you examined the coop and nests for parasites? That can cause as much stress to hens as mosquitoes cause us to want to scream in frustration. Mites can also cause anemia in hens which would affect laying in addition to the stress.

I haven't looked closely, I just got all new bedding to put down and I'll put some diatemacious earth down too. Any other suggestions?

 

[azygous]

If you have coop mites, they hide in cracks during the day and come out at night to feed on your chickens. Check at night by wiping a damp paper towel over the roosts. Check during the day to see if there are anything crawling on the skin of your hens around the vent.

DE will do nothing to prevent or get rid of mites. You will need to treat with an insecticide that is non-toxic such as permethrin or spinosad (Elector PSP)

 

[chxmommajess]

If you have coop mites, they hide in cracks during the day and come out at night to feed on your chickens. Check at night by wiping a damp paper towel over the roosts. Check during the day to see if there are anything crawling on the skin of your hens around the vent.

DE will do nothing to prevent or get rid of mites. You will need to treat with an insecticide that is non-toxic such as permethrin or spinosad (Elector PSP)

Interesting. The chicken who hasn't been laying has been pulling out feathers on the other one at night. Could this be because she is bothered? If they have mites will I need to treat the coop, or also their bodies?