Unsure If Problems or Normal

[BonnieBlue]

One of my hens, 9.5 months old, has really slowed down laying the past couple of weeks. Through her laying over the past three months, she consistently went 8-9 days laying, a day off. Two weeks ago she gave me 4 eggs before a day off. Now, she has laid 2 eggs in the past 6 days, not having an egg since Sunday.

Her behavior -

Saturday, I though she was going to lay, was whiney on a nest for a couple of hours, then nothing, and went about the day acting normal, and laid on Sunday. Yesterday she no egg, after nesting for about an hour. This morning, she nested for about 2 hours, was whiney, no egg. Saturday I was starting to think egg bound but then she laid Sunday.

She is eating and drinking normally. She is not waddling or frequently squatting like she is about to lay, or straining to lay, all of her other behavior is normal. No puffiness or swelling around her vent.

Someone has loose poops, and I don't know who, but someone has always had loose poops. I have poked around through some poop, but so far, have not seen any worms.

Do I need to try to stick a finger up her vent to see if she is egg bound? Because I don't have a walk in coop to try to snatch her off a roost after dark, that is going to be difficult, and she does not want to be handled normally, so I need tips on how to do so with the least resistance.

I was also wondering if I need to give a course of dewormer, even tho I am not seeing worms.

I don't want to get overly worried if this kind of slow down is normal. I was initially ruling out egg bound since it was at first a slow down, and not an abrupt stop.

UPDATE: I went to the security camera in my run after I was out there and saw two fairly fresh piles of loose poop. Both were from a different, but same, hen. Someone has always had loose poops so I suspect it was Violet, not Peony who is the hen who has really slowed down. Until I can watch the camera to see when/what Peony poops, I am feeling that more than likely, her poop is normal.

Trying not to be long winded, just give as much info as possible.

 

[FunClucks]

Does she spend inordinate time in the nest box? Has she plucked the feathers off of her breast? You said she's been spending lots of time in the nest box, and is whiney. If she seems healthy but just not laying, I'd suspect she may be going broody. Can't hurt to treat for worms or coccidiosis if you have signs that this might be an issue. But give it another week or so, if she stays on the nest full time including overnight, she's broody. You can either try to break her, or give her some eggs to hatch.

Proven broody chickens can be quite valuable, so if you ever decide to get rid of her, try and sell her as a proven broody, once she's successfully hatched a batch of eggs and has been a good mama. Even just telling folks that she's gone broody and not allowed to hatch yet may be enough for folks to take a chance on her. These are the chickens that homesteaders love, and some of us have trouble finding, in these days of hatchery production eggers who've had all the broodiness bred out of them. Makes it a heck of a lot easier to incubate and brood chicks.

 

[BonnieBlue]

She only spends a couple of hours in the morning, and that is it, then goes about business as normal. But this morning was whiney while there. I have found a couple of feathers, but since they all love that one box, not sure if her or another of the three girls. (I do have another one tho, who spends a lot more time just chilling on the nest but won't sleep there, who I have thought has broody tendencies.)

 

[FunClucks]

She only spends a couple of hours in the morning, and that is it, then goes about business as normal. But this morning was whiney while there. I have found a couple of feathers, but since they all love that one box, not sure if her or another of the three girls. (I do have another one tho, who spends a lot more time just chilling on the nest but won't sleep there, who I have thought has broody tendencies.)

Give it a few days or so, and see how things develop. If she sleeps in the nest box, even after you take her out, you know you have a broody. Some chickens just need more daily laying time, like several hours to produce and then think about the fact that they just produced one egg. And then they forget about it and go on about their day.