Annabel Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 Hi everyone, One of our ex caged hens who used to lay every single day without fail, stopped laying around 3 months ago. When she stopped laying, for a few days she just hung around the other chickens as normal. Then after 4 or 5 days she started taking trips up to the nesting box, sitting there for around 30 mins or so (her usual lay period) and then would return downstairs. This continued every day. Now, this hen is top of the pecking order but has a really brutish second in command who definately respects her (this ex-caged hen is treated like elephant matriarchs)... so I'm wondering- are these visits because after 2.5 years of daily laying the habbit is still there, or do you think it is to maintain her status? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted July 1, 2021 Share Posted July 1, 2021 Hens are triggered to lay by ovulation, so a yolk is released from the ovary and into the oviduct. At this stage a complete egg should be ready to lay, but isn't always there. Sometimes the yolk misses the oviduct opening and drops into the abdomen. According to one scientific-based book I read a hen can tolerate up to 13% of misses and the yolks are simply absorbed by the body's system. But any more than that and they can start to build up to cause a condition called egg peritonitis. It results in a swollen abdomen and can in extreme cases result in them walking like a penguin. So these are signs to look out for. Now after 3 months I would think you would see the aforementioned, so your theories could well be correct. Not something I've ever experienced, but not to be dismissed. The important thing is the flock remains stable and you are not dealing with bullying, so whatever the reason for her visits they are not doing any harm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted July 1, 2021 Share Posted July 1, 2021 Thinking about it further, if may be that she is still producing the yolk release hormone but has no more yolks left? We have an old bantam (9 years) who is now going into the nest box and usually laying nothing, is perfectly healthy and is also top hen. She's being doing it for months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annabel Posted July 1, 2021 Author Share Posted July 1, 2021 That is interesting Beantree- could well be a yolk release or the hormone. The thing which makes me suspicious is the wait of not laying (during which time she did not visit the nest box) and then almost as if she realised there were no eggs coming - she resumed sitting in the nesting box. How interesting also, that your top hen is doing similar. I wonder if there are any other top hens out there that have ceased laying, that now go about the phantom lay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted July 1, 2021 Share Posted July 1, 2021 We could be breaking new ground here @Annabel? What conclusion we end up with I don't know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annabel Posted July 1, 2021 Author Share Posted July 1, 2021 1 hour ago, Beantree said: We could be breaking new ground here @Annabel? What conclusion we end up with I don't know? Let me try a new thread and see! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
