Do Chickens pine?

[di]

We're really not sure what to be thinking about Marigold.
Ever since Dandelion(her sister)went broody,we've not had any eggs from Marigold.The first week we put it down to her being poorly.She daily needed her vent feathers cleaned as they were caked with white.Her poos were a white runny mess.We treated her by washing & then applying caneston cream.It seemed to do the trick.
She's now sharing a coop & pen with the teens,so shouldn't be lonely as such,but even so keeps herself to herself.
She's back to eating normally,I've wormed her & pop some poultry drink in with her water.She's also had a couple of warm baths...just in case she's eggbound,although she's apparently not showing any signs.
She doesn't appear to be moulting either.
It's been at least six weeks since she's layed an egg,oh,other than a really tiny one(think Quail!)a couple of weeks ago...we thought it was going to mark the start of her laying again.
The eggs kind of don't bother me too much,the others are laying enough for our needs,but am just concerned as to why she's not laying.Her & her sis are particularly close & I wondered if it's possible that it's because they're not together & Dandelion has her new/temporary role of being Mum without her this time?
Any ideas?

[bluemoon]

I don't know about pining as we would understand it, but certainly this has been a massive upheaval for her and probably very stressful. Also she's in with a new group so there's all the sorting out of the pecking order. I've often wondered if being at the top of the pecking order is worse for a chicken than being at the bottom as presumably they are then under constant stress to maintain their place, whereas the lower orders just get on with things. I have my hens in three groups and in every case the top one is the worst layer.

[di]

It could be the stress of being with the younger ones.
When we first mixed them(Dandelion & Marigold had a few weeks apart from them)marigold really didn't want anything to do with them,which actually made feeding easier as I could give her a pot of layers at the start of the day,which she'd munch away at whilst the others had their growers.Although she probably ate some growers throughout the day I at least knew her main munch of the day was layers.Now they're all on layers anyway.
She has gone from being very subdued around them to making herself Top Chook,so p'raps you're right that the stress at the top is worse than being at the bottom or milling around in the middle?

[RichmondHens]

It sounds like she might have had a kidney infection if you say she has had a white discharge. This will in turn have affected her egg production. You may find she does not come back into lay this year.

[Bramble-Poultry]

What breed is she - she may just have finished for the year, we have one or two that have.

Also if she has not been well it can take ages to get over it, like Richmond said she probably will not lay again this year, as long as shes ok in herself, eating and drinking sufficiently then I would not worry about her.

[di]

Thanks RH &BP.
She was poorly when our computer had gone wrong,a friend did some googling for me & came across some articles on Vent Gleet.Still not sure that that is what she had but I treated her as the websites reccomended(caneston cream & bio~yogurt).I take it if it was a kidney infection but she's "better" now it doesn't matter that she didn't have antibiotics?
We're not 100% sure what breedshe is,sold as a Suffolk Pied,but comparing her to others I think Magpie.
Last year both her & her Sis continued laying through the winter.
Like I said,the lack of eggs doesn't bother me,more concerned it's a sign of something that I'm overlooking,but other than no eggs she really does seem back to normal...in fact being with the younger ones she's actually showing an assertive side that I thought she didn't have in her.Was always the submissive bullied one.

[RichmondHens]

If she was a youngster last year then she would have laid through the winter, but this year is following her natural adult cycle of laying spring and summer and is now due for a rest. If she moulted following being broody then she probably won't have a full moult now, just go off lay for a bit and recommence either later in the autumn, or more likely, in the new year. Don't worry about not having treated with antibiotics - you cannot be certain what it was she had, and she has pulled through it - she sounds as if she has recovered now.

[Hilary B]

Mosly if a hen stops laying for any reason, and is not ready to start again before the days are obviously shortening, she won't restart until after winter solstice. Like most generalisations, that has exceptions, but it does TEND to be true. It is really unusual for a hen to recommence laying this far into the second half of the year.

[di]

Thanks,that's put my mind at ease.I'd assumed as it was still(sort of)Summer that she ought to have started again.

[kevnsue]

I think they do,something killed 5 out of my 6 warrens this week(mink i think) the 1 that is left looks so confused and lonely,she is with 5 others of mixed parentage and 4 ducks but is being bullied a little(must get some more).

[di]

Oh bless her!
I know they have their close friends/sisters.
Marigold never fitted in with the Isa's.Although they don't seem to quite be the same as her sis Dandelion,the teens seem to be bringing her out of herself a bit.Maybe if you're up to it a few young girls would make the ideal company for her!Hope she does OK.xx