No eggs after respiratory infection?

[bmjrn2b]

I have (9) 9 month barred rocks and jersey giants my Husband and I raised from chicks. They have been in perfect condition and laying 7-8 eggs a day. About two months ago we brought home some chickens from a chicken swap that we didn't know we're sick at the time, they ended up infecting our entire big flock. Symptoms were: runny noses, sneezing, really gunky sounding, weight loss, diarrhea, and no eggs. We treated with tylan 50 for 5 days. Since then most of them have recovered with just some random sneezes here and there. The jersey giants are putting back on the weight and the barred rocks are slowly recovering from the last little bits of the infection. We have had nice warm weather here so my chickens free range for most of the day and go back to Their coop at night. They seem to be back in their old routine. The chickens started to improve about a month ago and we still have not gotten a egg In over a month. Is this normal? Are my laying hens still recuperating even if they aren't showing signs of illness?

 

[Wyandottes7]

They are probably still getting over the stress of the disease. They might not start laying again until the daylight hours begin to increase (right now, at least in the United States, daylight hours are decreasing--hen's won't lay well with less than fourteen hour of daylight).

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes it is normal for hens to stop laying with respiratory disease, especially if it was infectious bronchitis. That one in particular can affect the kidneys and reproductive organs. Most chickens recover and start laying, though they may not lay as good as before, and some can stop laying altogether. With mycoplasma it is also common for laying to stop. I would think in a month to six weeks, they should start to lay again if light is added in the coop for 12 hours a day during winter.

 

[bmjrn2b]

Thanks for the advice. I plan to start using supplements and hope they start laying. I am debating on adding light to the coop. I plan to do a little more research.