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[Suzy]

Hi, my most timid ex-bat has been laying regularly for most of the year. After we got them and she promptly had a moult and has laid pretty much everyday since she feathered up.

 

On Bank Holiday Monday I gave them a treat they'd not had before - a whole corn on the cob, between 3 of them which after initial nervousness they devoured. Since then, Ophelia hasn't laid at all.

 

The others have both laid as usual.

 

I have checked her over and she's not egg bound or anything, and they were last wormed about 3 months ago. She looks OK, maybe a little thinner than normal (but that could be just as the two others who are smaller than her have put on a bit of weight) so she looks a bit more in proportion to them. Other than that, there's no difference at all and she seems fine, she's always been timid, but is her normal henny self, doing what ex-batts do.

 

I've not given them corn again and they eat ex-batt crumbs everyday with a few grapes in the morning, and some mealworms in the evening which is what they've always had.

 

Any thoughts, would be most appreciated.

 

Thanks, Suzy.

[Ms Tilytinkle]

Hello there Suzy,

It may be simply a coincidence - timing wise - it seems unlikely sweetcorn could prevent a chicken from laying. (Sweetcorn being more the culprit is all stopped laying but if the others are still producing, I would think its some other cause) Our chickens absolutely love sweetcorn - devour it enthusiastically But ours aren't ex batts so I can only give my thoughts from our perspectives.

Oddly - One of our girls appears to have abruptly stopped laying too. I'm going to worm them all again just to make sure - hoping its just a phase as she is really healthy & enjoying her little life otherwise.

 

Hope you discover your chooks reason is just the natural process as opposed to something being wrong with her. Maybe ex batts timing is different as their little systems must be exhausted after such prolific laying.

 

Ms TillywishesyouahappyTuesday

[Ms Tilytinkle]

Update... well Suzy after starting a week of worming (Flubevent) my little lady has started laying again, althoug I am assuming its the Flube . Yet they were only wormed recently!!!! Maybe you could try worming yours again too.

[The Dogmother]

Try worming her, but she could just be getting ready to moult; it's that time of year I'm afraid.

[Suzy]

Thanks for the replies - was away yesterday so not able to get online.

 

Well, I have just checked and today there are three eggs again, so she's just had a couple of weeks off!

 

I will start working again this weekend as I assume there's no harm to do it less than every 6 months - just to make sure.

 

Yes, she did moult last year - the only one who did. She came to us looking pretty featherless and then looked positively oven-ready. I didn't think she had feathers to lose... so I expect she'll do it again this year.

 

Thansk for the replies! Little brown eggs are back on the menu - for today at least!

 

Thanks

 

Suzy

[bluekarin]

must be that time of year. One of mine stopped laying for a few weeks. I think she may have been moulting as there were a few of her feathers about. I thought of worms too so I flubed them all up. She then started laying softies and now there are three lovely eggs in the nest box (not from her I hasten to add)