Is my pekin bantam male or female?

[SherlockHolmes]

We got 2 Polish bantam hens at the start of this month and were told that they were around 24 weeks old. The white hen laid an egg the very next day and we've been getting an egg from her almost every day. The black hen was a little traumatised when we got her as some of her head feathers had been plucked out by an aggressive cockerel she was penned with, but since she's been here she's had free range of the garden and is very close to the white one, however she hasn't started laying yet.

 

Ours is only a smallish garden and there aren't too many places for her to lay an egg without us finding it. I have searched the garden and kept my eye on her but there are no signs that she's laying anywhere else.

 

The pen and run are both clean. I clean the entire pen out once a week and use straw in the nest boxes which I change every 2 weeks. They are both fed on a mixture of layers pullets and maize along with a few household s"Ooops, word censored!"s and mealworms. She seems happy enough and her comb is a lovely red. She's still a timid hen with the white one always taking the lead.

 

She has seen her 'friend' lay eggs and we've left them in there until the next day so she gets the idea but still nothing. Could there be something wrong?

[good_egg]

She will lay when she is ready, or not if she is anything like my Annette - a year old and nothing but she does like to observe!! If she looks healthy (tail up active etc) then I wouldn't worry. You shoukd be able to tell a bit from redness of comb and she might squat, also vent shape and pelvic gap... Fingers crossed.

[Olly]

I agree - despite what you may have been told, the two hens may not be the same age and even hens hatched at the same time may start laying on different days. Be patient, it's early days and she will lay when she's ready.

[mcfee2]

I have the same problem! Two have been laying for a while now but Dandelion still hasn't started. I'm not very concerned, I think she was very young (not the 18 weeks I was told) when she came home, and although all signs point to yes, she is still an egg free zone. If she's not started in another month I will start to worry but she seems healthy and happy in all other respects. Fingers crossed for you x

[SherlockHolmes]

Thanks everyone. Could it be because my son named her Shabbadeedee?

 

I have done another search of the garden today and come up with nothing. I have examined her and compared her to the other and both look the same, in fact Shabby has better wattles than the other one. She was sat in the nest box late last night, roosting I suspect but at least it's a sign she finds it comfortable.

 

It's a pain because I did also get them for the eggs and I'm still having to buy them because 5 eggs a week will not feed a family of four.

 

She's bright and healthy in all other aspects, tail up and feeding well. How do I examine her pelvis and what is it I am looking for?

[Mary]

I have 8 chickens NOT laying. I had 4 Rhodes Islands that were doing good. Then I got a puppy. I now have to keep them cooped up. But Its a very good sized yard and a walk -in coop. I got 4 more chicks in June and theyre now full sized and NONE of them are laying. I am at a loss. They have water, scratch , pellets, 2 waters, swings, hanging cabbage, meal worms and scrapes from dinner, even pumkin too. I 'm at a loss. Please advise

[Cat tails]

Have they been wormed recently?

Low light levels tend to make chickens lay less or stop all together. Stress might get them off eggs too. I wouldn’t worry too much.

[mullethunter]

If they were very young in June it’s not totally unlikely that they won’t start to lay until the days get longer again.

[Beantree]

Certainly not the first time the arrival of a puppy has stopped hens from laying Mary. They will only lay if they feel secure and to them you have just introduced a fox, so they won't lay while they can see or hear it. If only one in the flock is insecure it will affect the whole flock. As Mullethunter says, the chicks may not lay this late in the year, but as they are at least 24 weeks old now I suspect it could be down to the presence of the dog.