carrie.rogerson Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 I am hoping someone may be able to offer some inspiration as I am a bit stumped! We have three chickens - 2 gingernuts and a buttercup, all are 2 years old. The gingernuts lay everyday and the buttercup quite often. The week before last we went on holiday; the gingernuts were laying fine, the buttercup quite sporadically. Our neighbour looked after them while we were away and there seems no reason to suppose there was a problem. However since we got back we only have one egg a day so one of the ginger nuts has stopped laying too. Giving them all a close look over one gingernut looks absolutely fine, the other has some white under feather showing on her breast but no sign of any injury. The buttercup has lost her tummy feathers and knickers. Neither chicken has any injury, their skin does not look irritated. I have seen red mite before and I am confident there is none in our eglu. I can see no lice or eggs (although that would be the first time I had seen it so only working off photos), and as I said one chicken has no rumpled feathers. So could this be a moult started a few weeks early (they have not had a noticeable moult in the past)? Could they have been upset by the alternative carer? Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted July 26, 2017 Share Posted July 26, 2017 Bare chest and belly sounds like a broody. Might the buttercup (never heard of this breed!) be broody? Spending long time in the nesting box? My white Dutch bantam is in a (mini) moult. White feathers floating around the garden. If it is especially warm, chickens can stop laying too. I wouldn't be too worried. Mine haven't layed in days, since they came back from boarding. Had 2 eggs since last Friday from 5 chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 Could be an early moult, as posted elsewhere, one of mine started a small moult after the last hot spell, when the weather turned cooler. When did you last worm them, and what with? What are they fed? A couple of things to clear before concluding that it might be a moult, but worth considering. If you think it could be a moult, then add a good quality poultry tonic to their water, and fortify their feed with some Biotin to encourage feather growth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carrie.rogerson Posted July 27, 2017 Author Share Posted July 27, 2017 Thanks for the thoughts. Had not considered broody as she is not spending huge time in nest box, but perhaps more than usual. Will keep an eye out. They are wormed with flubenvet but due another dose in August, so I could bring that forward a week. They are fed layers pellets (from Jolly's), I think they have had more corn than usual while we were away - so maybe a little low in protein? Do you think I should supplement at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 I would just cut back on the corn - very little nutritional value - perhaps add some dark green sat the end of the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
