Hen stopped laying-help

[Amazonlover]

Hello,

Hoping someone here can help. My EE has been laying sing 2/11. She was a pretty consistent layer, 5-6 days on, 1 day off. She stopped laying 4 days ago. I have scoured the run and the coop-no eggs and no sign of eggs. I have a camera in there and can watch the nesting box. She’ll go there for about ten minutes, then leave. No egg or sign of egg left behind. She seems healthy, I keep picking her up and feeling her bottom to make sure I don’t feel a sign of an egg being stuck. She’s drinking water, eating food, and acting normal. Any thoughts? Do chickens sometimes just stop laying eggs altogether? Thanks for any help you can offer

 

[nuthatched]

She's just taking a break, don't worry.

 

[Amazonlover]

Thanks! Really trying not to!

 

[Rockergirl]

Thanks! Really trying not to!

I have the same problem with my EE, she hasn't laid for 7 days, has me worried...did yours start back? Mine was laying well, then started laying some cracked eggs and now stopped altogether. she did have problems with laying cracked eggs last year and I supplemented her with calcium, which didn't seem to help...but eventually she started laying solid eggs again...but she never just quit like now. She is 2 years old. She acts normal but I was worried maybe one cracked one got stuck in her, but she doesn't show any signs of pain or weakness....

 

[Amazonlover]

Hi Rockergirl, my EE went 18 days without laying, which prompted me to do a gynecological exam on her (filed fingernail down, used oil on my finger). I felt what felt like an egg, but didn’t touch eggshell directly, instead it felt like it was behind a membrane (maybe a chicken uterus?), the next day she layed. She layed for around 4-5 days and is now not laying again (I am currently on day 8 with no eggs from her) so may have to do another exam. Have you tried feeling around her belly? Before I did the exam I thought I felt a solid egg shaped thing in her lower belly, but was concerned I was imagining things. Right now I don’t feel anything on her though, so may wait awhile before doing another exam. Is you EE pooping? If so that’s a positive sign. Mine has pooped the entire time. I’ve also read that a warm bath with epsom salts can help if they are blocked (though some say that doesn’t help).

 

[Dana g]

Hi Rockergirl, my EE went 18 days without laying, which prompted me to do a gynecological exam on her (filed fingernail down, used oil on my finger). I felt what felt like an egg, but didn’t touch eggshell directly, instead it felt like it was behind a membrane (maybe a chicken uterus?), the next day she layed. She layed for around 4-5 days and is now not laying again (I am currently on day 8 with no eggs from her) so may have to do another exam. Have you tried feeling around her belly? Before I did the exam I thought I felt a solid egg shaped thing in her lower belly, but was concerned I was imagining things. Right now I don’t feel anything on her though, so may wait awhile before doing another exam. Is you EE pooping? If so that’s a positive sign. Mine has pooped the entire time. I’ve also read that a warm bath with epsom salts can help if they are blocked (though some say that doesn’t help).

I had a similar issue with my three-year-old golden comet. I gave her a ten-minute warm bath, and the next day she laid an egg.

 

[Rockergirl]

Hi Rockergirl, my EE went 18 days without laying, which prompted me to do a gynecological exam on her (filed fingernail down, used oil on my finger). I felt what felt like an egg, but didn’t touch eggshell directly, instead it felt like it was behind a membrane (maybe a chicken uterus?), the next day she layed. She layed for around 4-5 days and is now not laying again (I am currently on day 8 with no eggs from her) so may have to do another exam. Have you tried feeling around her belly? Before I did the exam I thought I felt a solid egg shaped thing in her lower belly, but was concerned I was imagining things. Right now I don’t feel anything on her though, so may wait awhile before doing another exam. Is you EE pooping? If so that’s a positive sign. Mine has pooped the entire time. I’ve also read that a warm bath with epsom salts can help if they are blocked (though some say that doesn’t help).

I've heard about the exams, they make me so nervous. this is only my second year around chickens and I'm still learning. They are the sweetest things ever! I'm scared I'll give them a heart attack, even with giving them a bath....it's not that it grosses me out, it's that I'm worried I will hurt them or traumatize them. I know, I have to (and will) get over that, because it could save their life! Anyway - good news, mine actually finally laid last night! and it wasn't a broken egg like the eggs she previously laid (when she was laying). But, I am worried she will stop again...she's always had a funky egg maker (with the thinner shells) just never stopped before, like she did the past week. She's always been 2 days laying, 1 day off, like clockwork. Anyways, I think if it happens again, I'll start with a warm bath and see how that goes. I'm so sorry you are going through it again after having a few good days :-( Hopefully it all kicks back into normal....I wonder if this is an EE thing?

 

[Lillith37]

Epsom salt bath but also 600mg human calcium citrate supplement daily especially if they have a history of thin or soft shelled eggs.

Make sure nesting box material is changed regularly to prevent infection.

There are several good ways to monitor reproductive health.

1. Compare body condition against weight. Each chicken will have a healthy normal body weight. You can weigh yourself holding the bird and subtract your own weight, or weigh them on a cloth on kitchen scales if they are placid. Body condition is checked by feeling the keel bone and breast muscle either side. Keel bone should be easily felt with moderately-developed breast muscle either side. Chickens can lose body condition whilst gaining weight (in the case of something like ascites, EYP or salpingitis).

2. Feel the abdomen/belly area between the end of the keel bone and under the vent. An active laying hen will have a slightly bigger belly due to persistent low level inflammation due to regular laying. However, the belly should be soft and squishy and not cause the bird any distress when felt gently. A non-laying hen will have a smaller belly that is still soft and squishy. Taut fluid-filled belly like a water balloon can indicate ascites and internal laying. A distended and hardening belly indicates infection such as salpingitis or EYP. A distended but softer belly could be a soft tissue problem like cancer or even a hernia.

3. Do a vent and pelvic bone check. An active-laying hen will have a wide, moist vent like a coin purse. A non-laying hen will have a smaller, dry vent more like a cat's bum. The bones below the vent shift and widen during active lay, and pull closer together when a hen is not laying or before becoming sexually mature.

4. Crop and poop checks. Crops not empty in the morning, any kind of slow crop or crop stasis is commonly caused by internal issues such as reproductive issues. Any changes in poop should be noted particularly for infection. Dirty vent feathers are always a cause for health check and monitoring.

Hope this helps. Sometimes it's easier if you have a gauge on what's "normal" for each bird so that if something changes, you know the warning signs and can take whatever action is appropriate.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Epsom salt bath but also 600mg human calcium citrate supplement daily especially if they have a history of thin or soft shelled eggs.

Make sure nesting box material is changed regularly to prevent infection.

There are several good ways to monitor reproductive health.

1. Compare body condition against weight. Each chicken will have a healthy normal body weight. You can weigh yourself holding the bird and subtract your own weight, or weigh them on a cloth on kitchen scales if they are placid. Body condition is checked by feeling the keel bone and breast muscle either side. Keel bone should be easily felt with moderately-developed breast muscle either side. Chickens can lose body condition whilst gaining weight (in the case of something like ascites, EYP or salpingitis).

2. Feel the abdomen/belly area between the end of the keel bone and under the vent. An active laying hen will have a slightly bigger belly due to persistent low level inflammation due to regular laying. However, the belly should be soft and squishy and not cause the bird any distress when felt gently. A non-laying hen will have a smaller belly that is still soft and squishy. Taut fluid-filled belly like a water balloon can indicate ascites and internal laying. A distended and hardening belly indicates infection such as salpingitis or EYP. A distended but softer belly could be a soft tissue problem like cancer or even a hernia.

3. Do a vent and pelvic bone check. An active-laying hen will have a wide, moist vent like a coin purse. A non-laying hen will have a smaller, dry vent more like a cat's bum. The bones below the vent shift and widen during active lay, and pull closer together when a hen is not laying or before becoming sexually mature.

4. Crop and poop checks. Crops not empty in the morning, any kind of slow crop or crop stasis is commonly caused by internal issues such as reproductive issues. Any changes in poop should be noted particularly for infection. Dirty vent feathers are always a cause for health check and monitoring.

Hope this helps. Sometimes it's easier if you have a gauge on what's "normal" for each bird so that if something changes, you know the warning signs and can take whatever action is appropriate.

Thank you, Lillith, very inforrmative! Would you consider amplifying this and making it into an article so it would be easier to find?

 

[Lillith37]

Thank you, Lillith, very inforrmative! Would you consider amplifying this and making it into an article so it would be easier to find?

I can try! You mean specifically about doing a health check for reproductive issues? Or make it bigger into an article about how to do a comprehensive health check?