Our reliable layer, a normally sassy cream legbar has taken a break from egg laying for two weeks! She is normally a daily layer and the weather has been nice so it’s odd. We noticed some feather issue last week and wonder if it has something to do with it. She’s also been less of a sass, a little less bold and more skittish.
First, i thought maybe it could have been the red lamp (we keep this on the porch on cold winter days because the run is pretty protected from wind but they like to come out and play). We don’t leave it on when we’re gone, and didn’t hear anything weird, but possible she got all fluttered under it? But it seems to not tell the whole story, could she have escaped a predator? The feathers may tell a story but I don’t know what it is or if we can help her. Of course we want her laying but our hens are our babies and we want her healthy and happy the most. The egg production stopping just lines up way too well. Not sure how to investigate any further. She is eating fine. No issues on the rest of the flock (four of them total).
Worth noting they are just over a year. She molted in early winter and took a month or so off laying when winter started. Weather has been pretty sunny and warm for February lately.
First, i thought maybe it could have been the red lamp (we keep this on the porch on cold winter days because the run is pretty protected from wind but they like to come out and play). We don’t leave it on when we’re gone, and didn’t hear anything weird, but possible she got all fluttered under it? But it seems to not tell the whole story, could she have escaped a predator? The feathers may tell a story but I don’t know what it is or if we can help her. Of course we want her laying but our hens are our babies and we want her healthy and happy the most. The egg production stopping just lines up way too well. Not sure how to investigate any further. She is eating fine. No issues on the rest of the flock (four of them total).
Worth noting they are just over a year. She molted in early winter and took a month or so off laying when winter started. Weather has been pretty sunny and warm for February lately.
) on the anti-heat lamp crowd. To each their own. I use them when brooding, but still acknowledge they are somewhat of a fire hazard. That hazard does seem to increase when the birds are older and the risk is greater for the lamp to be knocked over or the birds to injure themselves on it. Chickens can normally handle some pretty bitter temps in a properly insulated coop just fine.
