eggstravagant Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 Can anyone advise me on this... ? I bought 2 new hens in March... both bantams, a light sussex and a black frizzle. The frizzle sadly died about 5 weeks later but the sussex has been sucessfully integrated with the rest of my small flock since the beginning of May. Problem is, we've had her 17 weeks now (she was supposed to be 14 weeks old on arrival) and she's yet to lay a single egg! Is this normal or have I got a 'dud' hen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 I believe that bantams can be a bit late starting to lay and won't lay as regularly as bigger birds, but I am not sure. Hopefully a bantam expert will come along soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Its not 'normal' but neither is it unknown! One of ours was about your girls age when she first layed and other omleteers will have waited even longer. Are her wattles/comb red or still pink? Does she crouch? Has she been wormed/treated for lice/mites? A bird needs to be in good health to lay. If everything is OK, it is possible she's a 'dud'. BTW its not true that bantams lay less than large fowl, tho they will lay less than hybrid large fowl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 See I said I was no expert and that someone more knowledgeable would come along We had bantam corosses when I was little and the only thing that I remember was how often they went broody, we did get loads of chicks though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 bants can make great broody/mums - because they're a bit smaller they can be a lot less clumsy (not always true tho!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggstravagant Posted July 23, 2009 Author Share Posted July 23, 2009 Thanks for the replies! Yes, she's alert, healthy and regularly wormed, no lice/mites etc. Her wattles/comb are lovley and red... don't know if she crouches though coz she's skittish and always runs a mile when I approach her! I guess we'll just have to watch and wait... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eggstravagant Posted August 19, 2009 Author Share Posted August 19, 2009 Juast to let you know that we had a stern talk with Vicky and she has miraculously started to lay - the tiniest most beautiful eggs - just about the right size for Barbie! Thanks for all your comments xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
