We have just acquired 3 chickens when we bought our house they are free range. we have been getting 3 eggs a day, but suddenly they have gone off laying. It is summer time here in New Zealand so warmth and light should not be a problem. Can anyone help me please? Real beginners at chickens thought you just fed them pellets and they laid eggs.! ! !
There are quite a few reasons why they could have stopped. Sometimes, they just come to an end of an egg laying cycle a little early, or go through a moult or something could have upset (stressed) them, like a shortage of water, change in surroundings, food or a predator has scared them. Most often it is incorrect diet – check out my page on Feeding Chickens to make sure they have the correct diet 😉
Thank you for your really helpful website. Like most of your other contributors, I’m new to chickens, and have had 8 exbat girls since October. They have adapted well and been laying well, despite being in various states of undress! I have already successfully dealt with an impacted crop.. but am now faced with one with listlessness and diarrhoea. She is wellfleshed and only just moulting a good plumage.. I have just started a regular worming routine with Vermx. but do you think it is also worth trying her with some Flubenvet? Or do you have any other suggestions. Thanks.
It is hard to say what the problem is, it could be a number of things… However, insofar as worms go, I would use Flubenvet for worming to be sure. Flubenvet is proven to kill worms and has no egg withdrawal period.
Evelyn Greenwood- 2nd March 2013
I am new to keeping chickens and I got three ex-battery hens in November and all has been well with them until this week. One of my girls was standing still looking dejected and all fluffed up. She was drinking water frequently but seemed to have stopped eating,then one of the other birds started to attack her obviously aware that she was not feeling well. I have separated her and put her in a large box in my utility room to keep warm(as recommended by several books I consulted)She has continued to drink lots of water and voided urine/poo that resembled egg white some of it being like clear jelly. She has a clean vent and does not have a hard crop. I have been giving her poultry tonic and she has now started to eat. Is there anything else I should do? Does she need to go to the vet?
PS I have found your site very helpful and have now got/ordered everything on your essentials list. My girls have not yet been wormed.
The symptoms are of a ‘sick hen’. She will have been bullied as she was ill and another hen was taking advantage of gaining a higher place in the pecking order.
She really needs a vet…. But to be honest, it might be too late. They don’t usually last for longer than 48 hours like this.
Hi, I have a 12 month old BlackRock that is trying to vomit/ retch and makes a loud croak when doing so. I have felt her throat and can not feel any thing obstructing it. She is eating well and laying every day and foraging in the orchards with the other birds. They are due to be wormed this month with Flubenvet , should I do it now? any advice will be appreciated. Regards Mick.
Sounds like Gapeworm but could easily be a respiratory problem too, or even a hen that is trying to crow (yes, it does happen, often when they are trying to exert themselves as the top hen).
Safe bet would be to worm now and see what happens. Don’t forget to worm again a few weeks later if you suspect a lot of worms because they will pick up eggs that will re-infect the hen.
Hi I put 3new girls 16 weeks old with my year old hens and one of them has been pecked by her eye which is a little swollen and not penned as it should be, can I leave it or should I get her to the vet, thanks
If she has damaged it, you may need to see your vet. It’s hard to say without seeing it to be honest.
16 weeks is still a little young to be mixing with older hens and should be done with care. 20 Weeks would be better when they are fully grown.
We have just acquired 3 chickens when we bought our house they are free range. we have been getting 3 eggs a day, but suddenly they have gone off laying. It is summer time here in New Zealand so warmth and light should not be a problem. Can anyone help me please? Real beginners at chickens thought you just fed them pellets and they laid eggs.! ! !
There are quite a few reasons why they could have stopped. Sometimes, they just come to an end of an egg laying cycle a little early, or go through a moult or something could have upset (stressed) them, like a shortage of water, change in surroundings, food or a predator has scared them. Most often it is incorrect diet – check out my page on Feeding Chickens to make sure they have the correct diet 😉
Thank you for your really helpful website. Like most of your other contributors, I’m new to chickens, and have had 8 exbat girls since October. They have adapted well and been laying well, despite being in various states of undress! I have already successfully dealt with an impacted crop.. but am now faced with one with listlessness and diarrhoea. She is wellfleshed and only just moulting a good plumage.. I have just started a regular worming routine with Vermx. but do you think it is also worth trying her with some Flubenvet? Or do you have any other suggestions. Thanks.
It is hard to say what the problem is, it could be a number of things… However, insofar as worms go, I would use Flubenvet for worming to be sure. Flubenvet is proven to kill worms and has no egg withdrawal period.
Evelyn Greenwood- 2nd March 2013
I am new to keeping chickens and I got three ex-battery hens in November and all has been well with them until this week. One of my girls was standing still looking dejected and all fluffed up. She was drinking water frequently but seemed to have stopped eating,then one of the other birds started to attack her obviously aware that she was not feeling well. I have separated her and put her in a large box in my utility room to keep warm(as recommended by several books I consulted)She has continued to drink lots of water and voided urine/poo that resembled egg white some of it being like clear jelly. She has a clean vent and does not have a hard crop. I have been giving her poultry tonic and she has now started to eat. Is there anything else I should do? Does she need to go to the vet?
PS I have found your site very helpful and have now got/ordered everything on your essentials list. My girls have not yet been wormed.
The symptoms are of a ‘sick hen’. She will have been bullied as she was ill and another hen was taking advantage of gaining a higher place in the pecking order.
She really needs a vet…. But to be honest, it might be too late. They don’t usually last for longer than 48 hours like this.
Hi, I have a 12 month old BlackRock that is trying to vomit/ retch and makes a loud croak when doing so. I have felt her throat and can not feel any thing obstructing it. She is eating well and laying every day and foraging in the orchards with the other birds. They are due to be wormed this month with Flubenvet , should I do it now? any advice will be appreciated. Regards Mick.
Sounds like Gapeworm but could easily be a respiratory problem too, or even a hen that is trying to crow (yes, it does happen, often when they are trying to exert themselves as the top hen).
Safe bet would be to worm now and see what happens. Don’t forget to worm again a few weeks later if you suspect a lot of worms because they will pick up eggs that will re-infect the hen.
Hi I put 3new girls 16 weeks old with my year old hens and one of them has been pecked by her eye which is a little swollen and not penned as it should be, can I leave it or should I get her to the vet, thanks
If she has damaged it, you may need to see your vet. It’s hard to say without seeing it to be honest.
16 weeks is still a little young to be mixing with older hens and should be done with care. 20 Weeks would be better when they are fully grown.