tomalexi Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Is it possible for a hen to never, ever lay an egg?! I've read lots of threads here about delays in laying but my girl is seriously overdue. Duchess, one of my four Rhode Island Reds is now 40 weeks old, perfectly healthy but hasn't laid an egg, ever. The three other hens (all from the same batch of RIRs from Wernlas) started laying at 28 weeks and have laid consistently since (good girls!). So Duchess is currently 3 months overdue and showing no signs of laying. Duchess looks just as healthy and as big as the others (though comb still fairly small), eats well and is active and as happy as a free-ranging hen could be. I've tried feeling for her pelvic bones but she's not that happy being picked up. She doesn't crouch when stroked. Help please! (here's a photo taken in August of the girls eating spaghetti, Duchess is on the left) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Can't see the pic. You have to log on to Facebook. You say her comb is smaller....maybe she was a bit younger than the others. You could wait and see what happens in the spring, ring the breeder for a chat or take her to a vet for an opinion. I dare say there is the odd hen that doesn't lay, but it is pretty unusual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 No idea why she isn't laying, but they are beautiful girls - gorgeous colours! Maybe she's for decorative purposes only? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomalexi Posted November 29, 2007 Author Share Posted November 29, 2007 Thank you! Here's the photo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 what gorgeous chickens.....and colour co-ordinated with their lovely home too!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomalexi Posted November 29, 2007 Author Share Posted November 29, 2007 And here's a photo of their new home: built like a fortress but five star accommodation! The gutter even feeds down into a drinking bowl for them, and there's electric lighting in the coop itself, luxury! She's got no reason to not be laying! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 and there's electric lighting in the coop itself, wow! that is luxury.....they get to read their little books before bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Brilliant! I love the rain water drainage system - I might have to pinch that one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 I have a 39 week old Speckled Sussex who has never laid - small comb and not crouching - if she doesn't lay till February it'll be a year since she hatched . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomalexi Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 Patience has paid off!!! Duchess has started laying, 5 months after the other hens started! They laid at 28 weeks old, she has started aged 48 weeks, and is now really proud and noisy about it. I can't understand why she took so long (all four hens are the same batch of Rhode Island Reds). I think she might have started laying somewhere in the garden because the first of her eggs in the nesting box have been good sizes. All four are now laying an average of 3 a day (often laying 4), in January, which is brilliant considering the lack of daylight. So thank you all for your advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clur Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 That's reassuring - I've got 3 chickens, the same breed and age, but 2 are laying regularly and one hasn't produced a thing. Will just have to be patient!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Fantastic news! Super set up btw...I haven't seen a drainage system which fills the drinker before. Very inventive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Lovely setup - I'm not showing my girls, they'll start drawing up plans . Great news about your new layer . I've a Pied Suffolk aged 38 weeks who laid 10 eggs in Sept/Oct but nothing since. Your news gives me hope . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Congratulations on the egg at last I'm passing this on to Dannii our Gold Legbar. We got her from Wernlas last May, when she was about 12 weeks old. She has not laid one egg The other 2 we got at the same time Kylie(Fresian Fowl) once she started we had a lovely white egg almost every day, she has now gone into a moult and has stopped laying and Martha (blue Laced Wyandotte when she started an egg almost every day, then a moult and none since All in all we have 7 hens and at the moment we get about 3 eggs a week We are hoping for big things from them in the Spring and hope to be drowning in eggs by the end of it We are having to draft in replacements to help out, well, we are chicken sitting for 5 weeks and will have 4 more girls to look after for a while PS your girls are beautiful and you have an amazing set up it looks so nice. Your girls are very lucky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chili Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 And you still have grass. I'm dead jealous....... Chili xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 And you still have grass. I'm dead jealous....... Ditto to that!! Congratulations on her eggs (at last)!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
