puddleduck Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 (edited) I have a very scatty columbine who is yet to lay . I don't think she is very healthy(mind you I'm no expert ), she seems to have lost quite a lot of her feathers (although not so many that it is noticeable) and her poo's tend to vary in form greatly. She eats and drinks well and is very alert and seems happy in herself. We did have a mystery egg about a week ago, on the bars of the eglu, it was white with a wafer thin shell but nothing like it since. any suggestions? Edited July 10, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 my columbine didn't start to lay until 26 weeks old.she stated to crouch about 14 day prior to that. lays between 2 or 3 days then has a day or 2 off she lays a cream coloured egg with are about 45 -55 grams in weight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-sarahjayne Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 Well I'm new to this but you could try giving her some poultry tonic or vitamins If she's lost some feathers she'll be growing them back before she lays Make sure she gets plenty of water and maybe try giving her a very small ammount of greens Sorry I'm not much use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puddleduck Posted June 20, 2009 Author Share Posted June 20, 2009 she's had tonic and lots of greens as they free range from 12 until bedtime they also get cabbages & other greens too (although they always get plenty of pellets 1st!). perhaps she will never lay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 My Donna is about 30 weeks old and she only laid her first egg today 6-8 weeks behind the other 2! So don't lose heart, it will happen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nats Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 When I got my first hens, one of them wasn't laying for ages. Well, that's what I thought until I found 8 eggs under a bush. One of the girls had taken to waiting to get out to free range and do her laying under this particular bush. Is this possible for yours? She lays in the nest box now as I stopped letting them out that early to encourage her to start doing it in the right place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puddleduck Posted July 10, 2009 Author Share Posted July 10, 2009 ok so she's now approx 35 weeks. still nothing. Is it possible for a chicken to never lay a single egg? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Don't give up. My girl Ginger didn't lay until about 40 weeks so there is still hope. She was way behind the other two. I'm sure she'll get there eventually. As you can see from my signature - I got the girls in May and she didn't lay until October. I did threaten her with the pot a couple of times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 It is possible for a chicken never to lay, but is extremely rare. Why not confine her to the run for a few days so that she is eating pellets only. She will tank up on essential nutrients that way and it may kick start her. If she has had a bit of a moult, her reserves will be going into growing new feathers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puddleduck Posted July 11, 2009 Author Share Posted July 11, 2009 It is possible for a chicken never to lay, but is extremely rare. Why not confine her to the run for a few days so that she is eating pellets only. She will tank up on essential nutrients that way and it may kick start her. If she has had a bit of a moult, her reserves will be going into growing new feathers. just my luck that I have a rare one! she does eat a lot of pellets, all 3 regularly go back into the run for a feed, all her feathers have now grown back her comb is big and red! although always has been! she is far more advanced than the other 2. She does sometimes sit with the other 2 whilst they are laying but I am sure she just thinks 'if there allowed to go to bed I am too!!!!!' she just has no idea!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 Blue/green egg laying hens are so popular that I guess many breeders would have several pens of hens coming through at any one time so could it be possible that she is younger than the others? if its hard keeping up with demand they may be sold on a little quicker than the other types Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted July 11, 2009 Share Posted July 11, 2009 Dont give up hope, my pure breeds were 8-9 months before they laid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puddleduck Posted July 11, 2009 Author Share Posted July 11, 2009 Blue/green egg laying hens are so popular that I guess many breeders would have several pens of hens coming through at any one time so could it be possible that she is younger than the others? if its hard keeping up with demand they may be sold on a little quicker than the other types She came from bellplantation, I got the impression they didn't really know her age and they said 24 weeks, which we already decided she was roughly 20 weeks though compared to my other two from cotswold chickens who were 17 weeks. So if bellplantation were right (they also said she was due to lay any day when I got her!!!! ) she'd actually be 39 weeks now, if we're right then 35 weeks! She definately looked older than the 17 week ones though! sorry. I don't think that makes a great deal of sense! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
