munchkin Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 Hi Barbara has not laid an egg for 8 days now and I'm getting worried. She normally lays approx 5 eggs per week. She appears to be very healthy. I have just wormed her with flubenvet and cannot see any sign of lice or mites. Any suggestions? Thanks PS My other chicken is laying every day and they are on the same diet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Are they allowed to free range? I'd check around the garden if they are, Molly doesn't lay in the eglu and has her own spot... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APW13 Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 HI, My chooks haven't been laying now for 2 weeks. Before that we were getting 4 eggs aday between 6 chickens. In fact, not since we let them out of their free range area and onto our garden area to de-slug it before we planted our veg. They are back on their own patch now and our seeds are safely in the ground. Does this mean it's likely that they have worms? We bought them in february and were told they had been wormed before we got them? Help, don't want to start buying eggs again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munchkin Posted May 13, 2009 Author Share Posted May 13, 2009 Hi Mine are alllowed to free range but only for about an hour when i am home from work. I don't think Barbara is laying elsewhere - but i'll have a look around! If your chickens have also stopped laying when they we moved to de-slug it maybe that they are filling up on 'junk food' (slugs). I believe they need to eat layers pellets to lay eggs and if they have to many slug treats that might stop production. Hope that helps. If anyone has any ideas about why Barbara has stopped i would be glad to hear from you. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budgies Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 APW I'd give them Flubenvet to worm them - if they've all stopped, something is happening! Most parasites have a really short life cycle, so can build up in their systems immediately a previous worming medication is out of their system. Munchkin, have you been around to spot whether Barbara still sits in the nesting box and thinks she's laying, or is she not doing any of that behaviour? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munchkin Posted May 15, 2009 Author Share Posted May 15, 2009 Hi Budgies, Barbara is sitting on the nest in the mornings but nothing is happening. However 3 days ago she laid what looked like a small rubber flesh coloured bouncy ball! Since then nothing. What is going on?? Help!! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budgies Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Can you have a gentle feel sort of between her legs and back up towards her vent? Does that feel as though there's any fluid there? The weird thing she laid is sometimes referred to as a "lash" and it indicates a bit of a blip with her egg laying equipment. Many chickens lay one of these and then get back to normal egg laying with no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munchkin Posted May 15, 2009 Author Share Posted May 15, 2009 Hi Budgies I can't feel any fluid between her legs and towards her vent. She seems fine in herself and eating normally but she has been sitting on the nest in the mornings but obviously not laying. I also noticed yesterday that she or prinny had pulled feahers from the front of her neck as she was slightly bleeding. I have cleaned her and she seems fine today but i was wondering do you think she might be broody? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budgies Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Maybe she is going to start to go broody. It's good news that there's no fluid anyway! I had two hybrids that never went broody so I've no experience of that - maybe someone else can help advise you there. I'm assuming you're happy that she's not got lice or mites which can also be a reason for them pulling out their feathers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
