Pollo Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 I have a Gingernut Ranger (Henrietta) and a Miss Pepperpot (Dippy). Both have been consistent layers since mid-December 2008. Dippy has not been laying for about a week. She isn't moulting and she still crouches so I don't think she's gone broody. It has been very hot and sticky of late with some sharp thunderstorms, so could it just be down to this? No evidence of soft eggs or eating eggs. She also isn't laying while she's free ranging ie elsewhere in the garden. She seems normal and bright in all other aspects. Henrietta is still laying every day. Any suggestions? As a slight digression, my wife's boss has chickens and has set me a challenge to find out why a chicken lays an egg a day (apart from Dippy at the moment of course) when other birds don't. I suspect it's something to do with mating but not sure..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Have they been wormed recently (with Flubenvet) ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pollo Posted August 11, 2009 Author Share Posted August 11, 2009 No, they haven't been wormed. (we got them pol in October 2008) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 I would get some Flubenvet - available online. If they have been free ranging, the chances are that they will have picked up a worm infestation. I wouldn't be tempted by any of the herbal wormers, such as Verm-X. In my experience they don't work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pollo Posted August 12, 2009 Author Share Posted August 12, 2009 ...and today Henrietta (the ) didn't lay. Flubenvet it is then. How long roughly after administering this should I expect to see them back in production? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Have you picked them up and brushed their feathers back. They could be moulting, but only just starting to, so you may not have noticed. Look at the feather bases and see if the bottom of the quill is coming out. I only say this as two of mine have now gone off lay due to moulting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pollo Posted August 12, 2009 Author Share Posted August 12, 2009 Dippy - the MP - does have one or two loose feathers from the softer downy layer on the lower section below her wings going down to her legs and underbelly. When I did as you suggested though and brushed back their top feathers none of the quills appeared to be loose and I didn't have the heart to start tugging them out So you may be right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pollo Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 OK, so now they've started on flubenvet. So here's the next dilemma... does anyone know the definitive answer to if you can eat the eggs while they're on flubenvet? In the protected section on eggs the opinions are mixed and seem to centre on pregnant women. Aaaaah... just checked the literture in the box - and I quote: ' There is no withdrawing period for chickens producing eggs for human consumption; egg withdrawal time is zero days'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 OK, so now they've started on flubenvet. So here's the next dilemma... does anyone know the definitive answer to if you can eat the eggs while they're on flubenvet? In the protected section on eggs the opinions are mixed and seem to centre on pregnant women. Aaaaah... just checked the literture in the box - and I quote: ' There is no withdrawing period for chickens producing eggs for human consumption; egg withdrawal time is zero days'. No egg withdrawal for normal dose of Flubenvet. I eat my eggs when worming the chooks. But some folk double dose if they suspect gape worm and then you do need to withdraw eggs. My lot went off lay after I'd had them about 10 months. Up till them I had never seen evidence of worms. However I bought some flubenvet, was horrified to see dead worms in their poo, and laying improved after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevtheplumber Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 just ordered my flubenvet as I have been using vermex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pollo Posted August 15, 2009 Author Share Posted August 15, 2009 thanks very much for that.... I shall be inspecting their poos this week. Can you remember the time span to when you wormed them to when they started laying again? Henrietta has already got back in the groove with a two eggs in two days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 thanks very much for that.... I shall be inspecting their poos this week. Can you remember the time span to when you wormed them to when they started laying again? Henrietta has already got back in the groove with a two eggs in two days. Don't expect to see worms in poos. It is very rare to actually see worms even if they have them. If you do see them it often means you have a big worm burden. Abosolute evidence of worms can only been seen under a microscope and then it is the eggs that are seen. With free range birds you need to assume that they always have them. Remember wormers do not offer protection so they can be clear the day you worm them and then pick something up the following day. By worming them routinesly every Spring, Summer and Autumn (may have to do more frequently depending on circumstances) what you are doing is making sure the worm burden is never high enough to cause a clinical problem (symptoms). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
