Should I be worried about one of my girls having stopped laying?

[chris503632]

I have had one of my chickens (an escaped battery hen) for about 9 months now - but I have no idea how old she was when I first found her.

She has been laying pretty much every day (maybe two or three off days a month), but out of the blue hasn't layed for the last four days. She looks to be in good health: she's running around quite happily, is eating well and has bright clear eyes. From what I have read it is pretty obvious if a chicken is egg bound - she's not showing any signs of distress and isn't spending time in the coop. Is this correct?

All the chickens have good access to food, light and water.

I have noticed she is preening more than usual - could she be moulting? How obvious is it when they moult - there are no feathers lying around the run or the coop?

Do I have anything to worry about, or am I worrying unduly? Any help or suggestions would be gratefully received - I am aware this question has probably been asked a million times before. I have read through lots of stuff about birds stopping laying and they all seem to suggest stress, moullting or disease as the main causes. Not seeing signs of moulting makes me worry, but I can see no obvious problems.

Please help

 

[sumi]

She could be moulting. I remember my hens moulting a few years ago (my current bunch don't, for some reason) and it was a gradual process. A dead give away is more feathers than usual laying round the run. And of course the hen going bald over time.

 

[TwoCrows]

I believe that it IS normal to stop for a few days. I have one girl that will shoot out the eggs continuously for weeks at a time, and then go on a week long laying strike. Like your bird, she is happy, energetic, eating and acting completely normal. Molting is pretty obvious. And I would think that if you are here in the states, being summer and all, chickens are not yet molting. So as long as she is not showing any signs of anything, I wouldn't worry about it. Chickens do slow down on laying as they age, and being a battery hen, she may be slowing down already.