ColdArtist
In the Brooder
- Apr 2, 2021
- 11
- 15
- 24
Hi here, I'll get straight to the point with this since my previous posts might've been a tad too long.
I have a Dutch bantam hen who hasn't been laying eggs for a couple weeks now while normally she has an egg laying pattern of around every day or every other day.
Now granted I know it's turning colder and during winter time hens take breaks from laying, however the last couple days she's been intensively running around the yard cluelessly, seemingly either looking for something or trying to distract from any pain, and also crying and screaming while she does this. I'm in the yard as I'm writing this and she's doing this while I'm typing.
I've been worried for a couple days now, I've checked her stool for every other day now and I haven't seen any blood or bugs of any type so I doubt it would be from something like that, I've also checked her feathers, neck and wings for any mites every day or every other day as well, there was this one day where we found a small egg that resembled one of hers while almost all of the other four hens were broody or laying at different times. I believe that was the last egg she layed and I haven't seen her lay another or found any secret nests either.
I'm scared she might have an egg that's just stuck inside of her or something likely to that.
Other theories are that she could be having that rare occurrence of a hen mentally turning into a rooster since she's also been showing some rooster like behaviors recently(strutting to other hens, attempting to crow but she was doing that when we had a rooster of our own so I don't know if that's related or not, letting the other hens eat first).
My final theory is definitely that she simply refuses to lay for whatever reason, she's been known to do it before and she's always been a bit tough when it came to laying eggs, even on her own schedule she often goes to sit on the eggs and try to lay for a couple minutes then get up and scream for a couple minutes and then rinse and repeat that.
I'm clueless and on the verge of seeking medical attention from a nearby vet practice, they've helped us before with removing an egg that was stuck inside and I'm hoping that if that's the case they'll be able to help us, but I thought before trying that I'll still quickly ask about it on here, any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
I have a Dutch bantam hen who hasn't been laying eggs for a couple weeks now while normally she has an egg laying pattern of around every day or every other day.
Now granted I know it's turning colder and during winter time hens take breaks from laying, however the last couple days she's been intensively running around the yard cluelessly, seemingly either looking for something or trying to distract from any pain, and also crying and screaming while she does this. I'm in the yard as I'm writing this and she's doing this while I'm typing.
I've been worried for a couple days now, I've checked her stool for every other day now and I haven't seen any blood or bugs of any type so I doubt it would be from something like that, I've also checked her feathers, neck and wings for any mites every day or every other day as well, there was this one day where we found a small egg that resembled one of hers while almost all of the other four hens were broody or laying at different times. I believe that was the last egg she layed and I haven't seen her lay another or found any secret nests either.
I'm scared she might have an egg that's just stuck inside of her or something likely to that.
Other theories are that she could be having that rare occurrence of a hen mentally turning into a rooster since she's also been showing some rooster like behaviors recently(strutting to other hens, attempting to crow but she was doing that when we had a rooster of our own so I don't know if that's related or not, letting the other hens eat first).
My final theory is definitely that she simply refuses to lay for whatever reason, she's been known to do it before and she's always been a bit tough when it came to laying eggs, even on her own schedule she often goes to sit on the eggs and try to lay for a couple minutes then get up and scream for a couple minutes and then rinse and repeat that.
I'm clueless and on the verge of seeking medical attention from a nearby vet practice, they've helped us before with removing an egg that was stuck inside and I'm hoping that if that's the case they'll be able to help us, but I thought before trying that I'll still quickly ask about it on here, any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
