One of my hens has stopped laying!!

[Kshelly8904]

Temp is irrelevant to molt, it is usually brought on by diminishing daylight... which is what effects laying hormones. All are individuals and some will molt early, late, or not at all.

So are you feeding your broody and chicks layer also?? Always get a second opinion on things told by feed store employees as they often have little to no true animal experience of their own.

If you are feeding layer to all... stop now and go get a nonmedicated starter or flock raiser and make oyster shell (or crushed egg shell) available on the side in case your other gal starts laying again.... Layer will have too much calcium and too little protein for your littles. If your other gal is molting... the extra protein will help pull her through faster as feather are made from 90% protein and it's amino acids.

Too much calcium (more than 3%) fed long term to birds not in lay including chicks, broody's, molters, and roosters *can* (doesn't mean will) cause gout and even kidney failure. On the other end too little protein fed to chicks will delay maturity AND stunt growth. Keep your bird on the starter or flock raiser until your chicks are approaching lay. I personally NEVER switch to layer, as 16% protein is the BARE minimum to support a light bodied layer like leghorn and dual purpose breeds like Marans, Wyandottes, Reds, Rocks and others will do best on about 18% protein...

One indicator of molt is if it looks like a pillow exploded in the sleeping area.

I can't imagine 2 hens sleeping in next boxes. And I ONLY allow my broody's to do that... but we all have different practices.

Feel free to post a pic... many of us can pick out molting birds easily.

I have starter feed and layer pellets both out. And our hen house is 2 levels and both levels have 3 nesting boxes each. By their own doing the girls only lay in the bottom ones and sleep in the top ones.

 

[Evelyn's Mom]

Maybe the chicks have thrown the other off her egg game. I posted a while back that I went on vacation and had 2 other people caring for my girls. They stopped laying for 4 days! I was freaking out! Then, they resumed In my opinion, if she's acting normal, eating, interacting, give her a little time and patience. She'll probably surprise you!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

By their own doing the girls only lay in the bottom ones and sleep in the top ones.

That's the reason nest boxes NEED to be lower than the roost.

 

[Kshelly8904]

Thank you everyone for the helpful tips!! I hadn’t seen any extra feathers around the coop but this morning I went out to check on them and it looks like a pillow exploded!! Feathers everywhere! I don’t know why it took so long for her to blow feathers

That's the reason nest boxes NEED to be lower than the roost.

Okay... they have a roost in their coop as well and have only gotten on there once or twice in almost 2 years. We raised our 2 girls in our master bath for a long time until my husband finished their coop. It’s a 10 x 10 coop. We think because they slept side by side together in a single nesting box until they were 10 weeks or so is why they prefer to sleep in nesting boxes compared to a roost. Our girls are only and totally pet chickens. We let them do what makes them happy. The eggs are just a plus. I posted this curious if anyone had ideas as to why my girl stopped laying. Not for opinions on my coop or what you do with yours.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I posted this curious if anyone had ideas as to why my girl stopped laying. Not for opinions on my coop or what you do with yours

Sorry, I didn't realize you were so touchy.

In chicken keeping keeping all things seem relative... to me.

Glad you found your reason for her not laying. Be blessed and enjoy BYC!

 

[Evelyn's Mom]

It's good to have some answers!! I still love the molt muffins for my feathered kids Actually, my daughter wanted to try it and I had a hard time keeping her out! ( no mealworms, of course!)

 

[m3shelly]

My three pet hens also prefer to sleep next to each other on the bedded floor of their coop, and not up on their perches. Maybe the same reason; their first ten weeks of life was in a brooder box, although I had a couple wooden dowels for them to use in the box. They just prefer to sleep on the bedding.

 

[Evelyn's Mom]

My three pet hens also prefer to sleep next to each other on the bedded floor of their coop, and not up on their perches. Maybe the same reason; their first ten weeks of life was in a brooder box, although I had a couple wooden dowels for them to use in the box. They just prefer to sleep on the bedding.

I think someone mentioned once you may have to put them on the perch a few times.... also, make sure it's not too high, maybe add something to step up on first?