Old looking chicken I think?

[wowmanacat]

I have a chicken that I have only had for around 7 month(not sure of her age at all) When I got here she was laying around 5 to 6 eggs a week. She got sick from my rooster over doing it and stopped laying for a time. She then go sick form the heat this summer and I saved her from that. She started to lay again at 5 to 6 a week and then stopped and went broody on me for about a month. well that ended around two weeks ago. still is not laying yet.
I am starting to notice that her face looks wrinkled and old looking and she is not all that red in the comb and wattles. I am just wondering what are some of the sign of old age for a chicken. Can they get wrinkly faces and legs(yes hers look like there are wrinkles on her legs.) other than this she looks fine. Will try to get some pictures of her face tomorrow if she will let me.

 

[lynn1961]

If she hatched out chicks and is raising them she won't lay until she is through taking care of the chicks.
If she does not have chicks it can still take a while for them to get back to laying after being broody.
Being broody and / or raising chicks seems to take a lot out of them, they do not eat or drink enough while they are brooding, just like a pregnant woman that has given birth, it takes a while to get back to theirselves.
And now is the time of year for molting, they don;t lay at that time, or lay very poorly.
The pale comb and "wrinkly" apperance can be due to any of the above, or needing to be wormed.

 

[Johnn]

my light sussex and cross breed both went boody in june they stopped at end of july and one started laying a couple of weeks later and my light sussex has just started again now

 

[saladin]

First: the rooster didn't make her 'sick' by 'over doing it.'

If she was recently laying 5 to 6 eggs a week then she ain't that old as laying tapers off with age.

 

[wowmanacat]

Quote:
She was not sick but very badly injured by it. As for baby chicks there were none since she broke the two eggs that I had gave her. I know that it will take time before she starts to .lay again. I am just worried about all the wrinkles on her face.

 

[hennyannie]

If she was recently laying 5/6 eggs a week, I would think she is not a very old chicken. Most of my hens lay an egg a day this first year and the next year about five a week. So I am thinking 5 or 6 a week she couldn't be elderly. I have a 3 year old RIR that is still laying well but I call her Granny cause she is the oldest and has an old look to her. What breed is yours?

 

[Ksane]

Until you've ruled out parasites you can't just let yourself think she's old and that's the reason for not laying. Have you ever held her down and picked through her feathers to her skin to check for mites? Mites can cause anemia, stunt their growth and cause them to quit laying, even kill them. What about lice at her vent? Has she been wormed with Fenbendazole or Valbazen? If she hasn't, then she hasn't been properly wormed.

 

[drumstick diva]

I've never seen a chicken with wrinkly face - wish you would post a picture. Maybe we could advise you better. Could she be dehyrated? Not having enough water???