My silkie bantam hasn't laid in over a week!

[ChloeAlicia7]

Hey everyone. I'm a little worried about my silkie bantam that hasn't laid in over a week now. I got her just over 7 weeks ago and she started laying 1 egg a day after 3 weeks but now hasn't laid in over a week and the last egg she laid was a little funny in shape. Like almost came to a point. I have 3 other bantams (1 other silkie and 2 Belgian d'anvers) and one of them started laying about 2 weeks ago now however I'm not sure which one. She however isn't consistent and lays maybe every second day. I'm not sure if it's coincidence but ever since the second one started laying my silkie that was consistently laying has now stopped and is not her usual self. She just sits in the doorway of the nesting box and doesn't come out unless I give her a little nudge. She'll then have a peck around for a few minutes and go back into the box. I also noticed on here that sometimes hens can go off the lay if they start to molt and I noticed that she has lost some of her feathers on her belly. Could this be why she's stopped laying and behaving a bit odd? She doesn't appear to be showing and signs of being egg bound but I'm really worried as she used to be the bossy boots of the coop. Help!

 

[ChickenGrass]

Hi there and
The shorter days (now lengthling) cause hens to sometimes stop laying.
My silkie bantams still haven't started laying yet.
Some of my other breeds are only starting to lay now.
She should be fine as I am sure that's the problem.
Goodluck,
Fionn.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Bantams tend to lay for a while than quit for a while. During the warmer months they will go broody after laying a few weeks, some still do in winter, but most just take a laying break of a few weeks to possibly a few months before resuming again. They haven't been bred for egg production.

 

[BantamLover21]

She could be beginning to molt, or stopping due to short daylight hours. Or, she could be thinking of going broody (wanting to sit on and hatch eggs), which is something Silkies are notorious for. As long as she is behaving normally otherwise, I don't think it is anything to worry about.

 

[ChloeAlicia7]

Thank you everyone. I'm not sure if it's the daylight hours. I'm is Brisbane, QLD and our days have been quite long since before she stopped laying? If she is going broody, how long can this last for? She's also not bagging her normal self. She just sits in the doorway of the nesting box in the coop and doesn't come out unless I nudge her along

 

[ChickenGrass]

Maybe as others suggested
She could be moulting?
I also agree with @oldhenlikesdogs
About bantams laying for a bit and then resting,
Then laying and then resting.
Goodluck,
Fionn.

 

[ChloeAlicia7]

As this is my first time with chickens, I'm still learning. I noticed she's lost some feathers on her belly. Is this moulting?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Loss of feathers on the belly is usually from sitting on eggs. Either they get rubbed off or plucked out by the hen for better contact with the eggs when brooding.

 

[ChickenGrass]

Silkies don't usually loose feathers when moulting.
Their silk feathers just kind of fall off as other new ones grow,
So they don't go bare.
She could also be starting to go broody.
Maybe if you post some pictures we can help and tell you if she is moulting.
Goodluck,
Fionn.

 

[ChloeAlicia7]

Ok here are some pictures. The first one is where she sits all day long and the second is the section of her belly that is completely bare of feathers. As I said she used to be the Bossy boots of the coop. Always out in the run first. Always out to get the fresh food first thing in the morning. She really doesn't seem herself but when I nudge her out of the box, she'll got out into the coop and peck around and eat and drink as normal