Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: Flowerpower136 on January 11, 2017, 16:03
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I'm not sure if this is anything to worry about or not.
Katy, our white leghorn hasn't laid an egg for 5 days.
She's about 11 months old. I got her pol last year. She's a very reliable layer. Misses the odd day, but 5 days is unusual.
She seems ok. I did notice she was a bit quiet last Wednesday, but she was fine the next day and eating and drinking and causing meyhem as usual. In fact I've just had to put a bumper bit on her because she's started feather pecking again and is being a complete pest.
Had a good feel round and can't feel an egg, vent looks perfectly normal. Clean bum. She's quite thin, but that's normal for her. Red comb, bright eyes. Last wormed in October.
Don't know what to think.
Seems an odd time of year to stop? Just as days are getting longer.
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When did she moult Flowerpower ? Sometimes that triggers a spell of no eggs, even for hybrid chickens that are designed to lay year round.
The other alternative is that she may have laid a soft shell egg. The others could of eaten it, so you might not have seen it. That makes them a bit off colour and they take a few days to recover.
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She hasn't moulted at all this winter, still in her first year.
Could be a soft shell but it would be unusual for her and I havnt noticed any sticky patches in the nest box.
Any other hen, and I would be non the wiser to be honest, but she's the one that lays white eggs so I'm a lot more aware of what she's up to.
Could it just be a normal break in service? She's laid an egg very nearly every day since summer.
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Could it just be a normal break in service?
It could be given the time of year. If she has started on the knicker snipping antics again and the others are letting her, she's still head hen. When they are unwell, the others tend to seize their chance for a bid at the top spot.
She is eating and drinking and seems well otherwise, I wouldn't worry too much :)
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She's still head chook! They just stand and let her do it.
Wondering if she might be due a moult? will keep a close eye.
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she might do a partial moult at 1 year, but she might need a bit more protein if eating feathers. I do dog food.
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Moults in chooks are funny things. They can look oven ready or you may well not notice. In 10 years of having chooks none of them ever had an obvious moult. :)
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Thanks everyone. I'm just guessing re the moult!
Still no egg, but apart from that she seems fine.
I might try a general vitamin tonic for them all. They do have extra protein.
Her featherpecking seems to just be a permanent hobby to be honest. We manage. ;)
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We now gave a definite moult! Poor girl. But it's a great relief to have an explanation for the egg stoppage. Extra protein being served and tonic ordered.
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She has picked her moment :lol: More cold and frost on the way next week.
She'll be fine btw. Mine have done the same midwinter and suffered no ill effects ;)