No eggs after illness

[gina1009]

I am new to all of this. We have 2 barred rocks that just turned two years old. Both of them became very sick last summer/fall with bright green poop and no eggs. Took them to the vet and she said it was an infection. After hand feeding them and meds, they both are healthy now. My questions is that one hen has resumed laying eggs, but the other has not layed since she became sick. She went from 7 lbs to 2 lbs when side, but now is perfectly healthy. Is it possible that she was so sick something happened and now she will never lay again? She is not egg bound. Vet said just give her time. It has been 7 months since the vet visit and almost a year since her last egg.

 

[lovechickensss]

My two chickens have recently recovered from coccidiosis after being on antibiotics. One of them was more ill than the other and the other lay eggs for a bit even being on antibiotics but now they have both stopped. I got an egg from one of them a few days ago but nothing since, however, the other one has not laid in ages, but I think she is malting, and she was really ill. I'm not sure if it is the medication or something. This has only been for a month but I was hoping they would lay soon, but if it sounds like what you have, then it might not be so soon. What infection did your chickens have?xx

 

[drumstick diva]

Welcome to BYC. That is a good question to ask your vet. Does he think her severe weight loss plus whatever medication may have ended her laying days? I would give her more time if she were mine.

 

[drumstick diva]

Are you feeding layer feed? Chickens who aren't actively laying should not be on layer feed. The calcium can overload her kidneys, since she isn't using it to make egg shell. She may do better with extra protein to build herself back up.

 

[lovechickensss]

Are you feeding layer feed?  Chickens who aren't actively laying should not be on layer feed.  The calcium can overload her kidneys, since she isn't using it to make egg shell. She  may do better with  extra protein to build herself back up.

I am having the same problem with my chickens, so is it best to take them off their layers pellets and give them things such as meal worms instea?x

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BackYard Chickens! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[gina1009]

The vet said it was some type of intestinal virus. They were pooping bright green poop, and their crop was impacted. They tested neg for paracites and coccidia. They are both on a layer feed. She hasn't laid since last June. She started pooping green in late July. Went to vet in September. My other hen started laying in March. I have 2 little boys. Their favorite thing to do is to dig up worms in the back yard and feed them to the chickens. She is also getting lots of fruit and veggies from me during the day. I don't know how much of the feed she is eating. She is her normal weight and eating good. Should I take her off the layer feed and just give her more time?

 

[lovechickensss]

I have been worrying the same thing about whether or not they're eating their pellets or not and sometimes wait till midday to give them their treats. When my girlies were recovering, I discovered one thing chickens never say no to is mealworms which are an excellence sorce of protein (alive mealworms are fab for them). It helped them put on weight as well as they were so light after being ill. If you want another sorce of protein try mealworms xx

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! You could put both of them on a flock raiser type food and have oyster shell on the side, that way the hen that is not laying doesn't get all the extra calcium. Maybe your girl will start laying again since it is spring now and a lot of birds naturally stop laying over the winter anyhow.

 

[gina1009]

My girls were put on Metroclopride to stimulate their appetite, nystatin for the possible yeasty crop, and TMS antibiotic for the infection. I could not find anything on these meds that referenced a possible ending of egg laying. I will just keep giving her time. These are pets, for those of you wondering, she will live a long and happy life weather she ever lays again or not.