I have four silkies. I found one with a bum wound with maggots and immediately removed her and began caring for the wound. Happy to report I think she will make it. We have rounded a bad corner! I thought I could loose her, on a side note I found the medical protocol on this site to care for the wound! Anyway... My three other silkies stopped laying eggs seven or eight days ago when I removed the injured hen"dolce" from the flock. No eggs! Dolce has I suspect a two plus month journey before I can return her to the great outdoors. This morning I did decide a visit to the other three girls was in order. The three other silkies stopped laying last Friday when I removed Dolce (the injured hen) from the flock. Not one of them has payed an egg. So today I decided that maybe they needed to see her and maybe that would make her happy as well and help her heal. I carried her outside and sat on the grass with her. Her best friend ran over to her and layer down at her feel and rolled onto her side. They clucked at each per which brought tears to my eyes since my girl has made little to no noise since her injury. I let her peck at the grass a bit and The other two came over and then they started to walk off together after about a minute or so. Sadly I picked up Dolce at that point and brought her back inside. Her wound could never be outside with flys etc.. But I have never seen something so sweet in my life as her best buddy laying down at her feet. I will bring her outside for a visit everyday but only long enough so that they see each other and there are no flys. The second one comes anywhere near....visit is over! I figure a two minute visit is good for all! Any thoughts on the three not laying and what to do? Is this normal? Thank you!
Removing or adding members to the flock is stressful for chickens and it sounds like you have a very close-knit group, so it could be that removing the hen from the group caused them to stop laying. Continue the daily visits, so she can stay part of the flock and still see her flock mates. It will be good for her and for them, from the sounds of it!
