Sick hen for weeks. With PICS!

[ashedd]

Is there any real danger in her not laying eggs? She has never been a great layer but production stopped when she got sick.

On a side note: the other two stopped laying when it got cold out a few days ago. I am assuming since this is their first winter they need time to adjust. That or they are molting, but I haven't seen many feathers. I did noticed they were not eating the new organic feed I got them, had to switch back to purina, so maybe the lack of eating stopped production.

 

[Clay Valley Farmer]

Switching food could upset the lay, but being sick certainly will. If it is a young bird and she makes a recovery egg laying should return as well.

If it is their first year they should not slow too much in laying and won't go into a full molt. A little extra light will help if you want to keep them laying, I prefer adding light in early am (total light natural and artificial about 13-15 hours), that way eggs are ready for collection when we get up and they go to bed normal and get a chance to roost, if the lights just click off after the sun is well gone they can have trouble getting on the roost.

 

[ashedd]

UPDATE

I noticed earlier today that #3 had small solid poop

So I am hoping that the sulmet I dosed her water with a few days ago it working. She was also much more alert(actually awake) and was verbal. I made her some cream of wheat, scrambled eggs(sulmet eggs from the other two), canned corn and she got a cup of cooked white rice we had from the night before. She ate a little bit of everything but the rice was the big hit. All 3 regularly get different kids of cooked rice that we have as leftovers. They like rice more than bread! I also gave her some organic cracked oat scratch that they like. I watched her for about 20 mins eat all that rice then left her to her own devices for about 2-3 hours. Just went to clean her up for the night and caught her sleeping. I looked for a full crop since she ate so much.... but it was empty! About the size of a walnut.

She ate quite a bit judging by the mess she made. Of course I woke her up to put her away.. she started eating her eggs again. Is it possible for her to move the food from the crop that quick?