chickweed Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 I have had my chooks about 13 weeks which makes them approximately 31 weeks old. The man from Omlet thought they were about 18weeks old when they were delivered to me. Daisy started laying after 3 weeks,but Lil is showing none of the usual signs that lead up to laying. With the days getting shorter and colder, is she likelyto come into lay at all this winter or keep her egg -laying equipment on hold until the spring? Are there hens that never get around to it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh sarah Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 i think it depends on the variety of chicken but i am sure someone knowledgeable will be along to give you advice sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickweed Posted October 18, 2007 Author Share Posted October 18, 2007 Oh yes, forgot to say, they are both gingernut rangers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Hi Chickweed . From the fact that you said that they were delivered by Omlet I'm assuming that you're talking about the standard Omlet hybrid hens, Pepperpots and Gingernuts? In which case I'm sure that she will come into lay soon, and then once they get started they go on and on with almost daily eggs . Has she got noticeably bigger, redder combs and wattles, usually they're small and pink until they come into lay and then they go really quite red. Also when they start "crouching" as you approach them is a good indication of them coming into lay, the crouching thing is a submissive gesture to a dominant cockerel There's also a trick of measuring the pelvic bones to assess how close a hen is to laying, but I forget how to do that right now I had a pure breed cream legbar, Phil, who didn't lay until I'd had her 41 weeks , and she was well past her 1st birthday and I'd pretty much given up on her ever laying, but in my researches I discovered that it's pretty rare for a hen not to lay ever, and in those cases it's generally down to a poor diet in their developing stages. A chicken from a reputable breeder (such as Omlet use) is unlikely to be malnourished in that way. So hang on, I'm sure eggs are coming and soon. Hybrids don't seem to take notice of the seasons the way pure breeds, maybe a few less eggs, but not massively so, so I'm positive that Lil will soon start churning them out for you Oh, and of course they'll taste all the sweeter for the waiting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickweed Posted October 19, 2007 Author Share Posted October 19, 2007 A chicken from a reputable breeder (such as Omlet use) is unlikely to be malnourished in that way.So hang on, I'm sure eggs are coming and soon. Hybrids don't seem to take notice of the seasons the way pure breeds, maybe a few less eggs, but not massively so, so I'm positive that Lil will soon start churning them out for you and of course they'll taste all the sweeter for the waiting Thankyou for your reassurance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...