Olandsk Dwarf Hen - Strange behaviour...Broody? Molting? Weak?

[valper]

Hi all,
I'm new to this forum as well as to chicken owning and cannot find what could be the matter with my Olandsk Dwarf hen, Petunia. She is a little over a year old.
About two months ago, I nearly lost her due to dehydration / heat exhaustion but luckily she pulled through. Since then, she has not laid a single egg.

My girls free range during the day so I have been on an egg hunt for the past couple of weeks and have not found any secret stashes. Recently, I found her laying on one of my ceramic eggs and on another occasion, on one of the other hen's eggs. She neatly tries tucking it under her, lays for 30 min-1 hr and then goes on about her day.

My other OD (I only have two) is currently molting and stopped laying. It's easy to see that she is molting because the poor thing looks like a zombie chicken. However, Petunia shows no physical signs of any changes.

I'm puzzled as to what has caused this sudden halt. What could be going on with her?

 

[aart]

Could be still stressed and recovering from the heat stroke....and it's close enough to molting time she has not resumed laying.
She may be thinking about going broody.
As long as she's eating/drinking/ pooping/moving around OK, I'd not worry much.

Might want to examine her:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

Then maybe.....
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for a week or so can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop and maybe run 24/7 for a few days to a week, provided you have adequate space and ventilation, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

Oh, and... Welcome to BYC! @valper
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[valper]

Thanks for the tip! I went ahead and updated my location. I am in the Småland region of Sweden. The fall changes in weather are definitely noticeable now.

I am not too worried about her since she seems to be doing well and acting like herself. She's also my friendliest girl and that has not changed. I mainly wondered if it was "okay" that she suddenly stopped without any clear sign of something happening or changing.

I do see her in the nesting boxes regularly, laying on the ceramic eggs or on one of the others'. Should I let her keep an egg from the other girls in case she's trying to go broody? Or do you think it is likely that she will hop off of them as she's done the few last times? I did not think her breed was inclined to be broody but I guess its a possibility with any hen.

 

[aart]

Should I let her keep an egg from the other girls in case she's trying to go broody?

You could leave some fake eggs in a nest...if you really want her to go broody(it might or might not work).