Hello All, I am coming to you all with my hands up in the air. I have a leghorn who gave me 20 eggs and then stopped. Magically. I live in the Bay Area of California. This started about 6 months ago. I have exhausted every tip I could find on why this would be and how to remedy it but to no avail. So let me start with what I've tried or done first and then maybe someone out there will have an explanation or more tips or honestly I have no clue. Maybe voodoo?
So to get started:
1. She's been dewormed. She showed no signs of worms though. She does collect poop on her lower vent feathers that she gets bathed off but I attribute that to her fluffy bum.
2. She's been given ivermectin and the coop sprinkled with permethrin. We did have some northern fowl mites in the fall when we had a few broodies but that was after she stopped laying. She did not show signs of mites, just the broodies.
3. They eat all flock mixed with layer, and have supplemental grit/oyster shell. So I highly doubt it's a protein issue especially since everyone else haven't stopped laying unless they've been molting.
4. She's not molting. I know this for obvious reasons.
5. Her appearance- comb is bright red and beautiful. She doesn't act funny or egg bound or walk funny. Her feathers are beautiful and has that proud tail sticking up high.
6. Her crop empties overnight. She doesn't gorge herself like the others but she eats and drinks regularly.
7. I've given nutri drench in the water in case it was a vitamin issue.
8. She's in the coop everyday religiously, fake laying an egg. Even sings the egg song.
9. She hangs out with the flock and doesn't get picked on.
10. August was our hottest month but she stopped laying before then and now that we're in winter it's been in the 60s during the day.
11. Their automatic door opens at 630am and closes 15mins after dusk. Right before winter solstice it was closing at 5pm. It now closes at 6pm. But mind you she stopped laying around July.
I'm just lost. I mean I know chickens are hatched with all their eggs they'll ever lay but has anyone had a chicken that laid like 20 and then nothing ever again? Like maybe she only hatched with 20 eggs in her. I've tried to Google that situation but I don't know what the term would be so nothing actually shows up. And eating her isn't an option because she's got that classic leghorn trim figure so the little bit of meat wouldn't be worth it. Plus she's pretty to look at.
So to get started:
1. She's been dewormed. She showed no signs of worms though. She does collect poop on her lower vent feathers that she gets bathed off but I attribute that to her fluffy bum.
2. She's been given ivermectin and the coop sprinkled with permethrin. We did have some northern fowl mites in the fall when we had a few broodies but that was after she stopped laying. She did not show signs of mites, just the broodies.
3. They eat all flock mixed with layer, and have supplemental grit/oyster shell. So I highly doubt it's a protein issue especially since everyone else haven't stopped laying unless they've been molting.
4. She's not molting. I know this for obvious reasons.
5. Her appearance- comb is bright red and beautiful. She doesn't act funny or egg bound or walk funny. Her feathers are beautiful and has that proud tail sticking up high.
6. Her crop empties overnight. She doesn't gorge herself like the others but she eats and drinks regularly.
7. I've given nutri drench in the water in case it was a vitamin issue.
8. She's in the coop everyday religiously, fake laying an egg. Even sings the egg song.
9. She hangs out with the flock and doesn't get picked on.
10. August was our hottest month but she stopped laying before then and now that we're in winter it's been in the 60s during the day.
11. Their automatic door opens at 630am and closes 15mins after dusk. Right before winter solstice it was closing at 5pm. It now closes at 6pm. But mind you she stopped laying around July.
I'm just lost. I mean I know chickens are hatched with all their eggs they'll ever lay but has anyone had a chicken that laid like 20 and then nothing ever again? Like maybe she only hatched with 20 eggs in her. I've tried to Google that situation but I don't know what the term would be so nothing actually shows up. And eating her isn't an option because she's got that classic leghorn trim figure so the little bit of meat wouldn't be worth it. Plus she's pretty to look at.