My Copper Marans hasn't layed in months...but

[Kittyf]

But I think I know what has happened.

We introduced Big Karla to our small 3 hen flock earlier this year, she adjusted and began laying 3-4 eggs per week. Then we adopted 2 rescue hens and she stopped laying. The rescues have taken a while to integrate, but seemed to have done so in the past couple of months. Everyone is laying more or less regularly now except Big Karla. Big Red, the RIR, is the dominant hen, even though Big Karla, who is very large, tried to assert herself.

I picked Big Karla up yesterday when we were cleaning the runs/coops and noticed how very light she is. She still looks big, but it's all feathers. Then I noticed the others not letting her feed.

I separated her into the smaller coop by herself and she ate like a starving teenager.

I am going to keep her separated in the coops (they all will still range together in the runs) until she fattens up again. Maybe she's not laying because she's not getting enough nutrition. I'll check her for parasites, too. She may be older than we thought - she was full grown when we got her, so we can't be sure of her age. But now I know she hasn't been getting enough to eat, I'm thinking that's why she's not laying.

I'll see if this works - if anyone has any more ideas, I'd love to hear them.

Kate

 

[teach1rusl]

Check for parasites (as you've already mentioned), and if you haven't wormed this year, you might think about that. If worms are bad, an animal can eat and eat and not keep weight on.
Make sure there are two feeders and two waterers in your coop/run set-up, and make sure they're set as far apart as possible so that low rankers have opportunities to access them.

My little d'uccle hen (maybe 1.5 pounds) bosses around my large fowl EEs and Part. Rock. Age and temperament weigh far more in the chicken world than size, as you've discovered.

Hope your girl perks up...