4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[braden01]

We have 4 chickens, one of whom became broody at the end of July. As it was only 2 days before we went on hols, we couldn't snap her out of it by locking her out of Eglu etc as my friend was just coming down 1 hr / day to look after them. She finally came out of about 3.5 weeks later (once we'd returned and I could keep her out all day) but was rather skinny and pale. She did eat when we locked her out but still indoor life affected her.

 

Anyway, she still has not come back into lay and seems to be fighting with the others when we're out. I haven't caught them at it but there are lots of feathers in run sometimes and she's seems very jumpy around the others. It really doesn't seem like it is the other attacking her but can't know for sure. She's eating & drinking fine although comb still pretty pale and still quite skinny. For a day or two, she seemed a bit off colour but haven't noticed anything unusual the last 3 weeks.

 

Please can anyone advise whether there is anything I can do to help? Thanks!

[Egluntyne]

It can take a while for them to get back into lay. Are you sure she isn't having a moult if the feathers are hers?

 

I'd try her with a tonic such as Lifeguard to give her a bit of a boost. If she is moulting, you probably won't see any eggs for a while I'm afraid.

[ajayb]

I've just been through this with two of our hens (this is my first year of keeping chooks). The first snapped out of broodiness after precisely 21 days; began a major moult then started laying again as normal a couple of weeks later. I gave her some tuna/ poultry spice/ layers mash + probiotic yoghourt during her moult to build her up a bit. The second one began being broody not long after the first one stopped and she was more aggressive with the other chooks (and our surprised elderly labs!). She took about 10-14 days longer to snap out of it (so poss about 5 weeks in total) and immediately began her moult last week. She's looking so much better already and I won't expect eggs again for a wee while yet.

 

Hope that's reassuring!

[braden01]

Thanks for the reassurance - I just can't tell if the feathers are because she's been in a s"Ooops, word censored!" or simply moulting. I'm giving them all some booster stuff in their water and they are getting some corn as a treat too. She seems to be eating OK and isn't hunching up at all that I've noticed so fingers cross she'll sort herself out.

[C&T]

Thanks for the reassurance - I just can't tell if the feathers are because she's been in a s"Ooops, word censored!" or simply moulting. I'm giving them all some booster stuff in their water and they are getting some corn as a treat too. She seems to be eating OK and isn't hunching up at all that I've noticed so fingers cross she'll sort herself out.

 

 

 

Can you see if you there are any new feather scoming through (if she'll let you examine her!)?

 

Fred is moulting for the first time, and while at first I worried about mites etc, when I looked I could see all the new feathers coming through. She was really prickly for a while to pick up as well, with all the new quills!!