Almost a year old and still no eggs!

JacksFarmNGardn

Songster
8 Years
Dec 26, 2015
310
205
181
New York
I aquired 2 silver laced wyandotte hens Dec 11.The person was moving out of state in April and they stopped laying for the winter so instead of feeding them til they moved,they rehomed sooner. My sister got one as well. When we got them,they were all finishing a molt. So I expected no eggs. Even all winter actually. It's been super cold,and less daylight hours. A few weeks ago,my sis processed some chickens, and culled her slw. The insides showed no signs of starting laying any time soon! So being beginning of feb,i figured i'd let my girls stick around. Well the past few weeks,has been more spring like,her ducks,geese chickens and even a bantam all started laying. My 2 arent even squatting.

They eat 2/3 chick feed,1/3 corn. It was cold,i wanted them to have that for extra energy. But should still have enough protein in a day.

I thought about being sold old layers, but with their molting when they did and the underdeveloped eggs inside the processed one,i do believe they were got at tractor supply in april like they said. With that said, they are coming up on a year old! Why no eggs? I'm getting frustrated feeding freeloaders! I bought older hens for a reason!
 
Then and now. They're really beautiful! I would rather not have them
In the freezer,but how long is too long to wait?

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Then and now. They're really beautiful! I would rather not have them
In the freezer,but how long is too long to wait?


If they molted, they are over a year old. They may not start back up laying for another month or so, or they may be hiding eggs somewhere.
I have layers that don't squat, so don't use squatting/not squatting as an indicator.
 
If they molted, they are over a year old. They may not start back up laying for another month or so, or they may be hiding eggs somewhere.
I have layers that don't squat, so don't use squatting/not squatting as an indicator.


I thought that they can molt before their first bday? My ee roo has been growing his saddle feathers since december as well, he was a spring 2015 chick too.

As for hiding them, i highly doubt it. They have a 3x5 coop, roost on one end and box on the other. They are fenced in. They have only been out a couple times free ranging and i was out watching them the entire time. The past month,has been such horrible weather, they wouldnt even come out the coop during our storm week.
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If they were under 8 months old, when fall came, they would not have molted. 


The one my sis processed that we got with my 2, the egg sacs inside were clear and the size of a pellet from a pellet gun. Clearly indicating a younger hen that has never started laying. I seen other ones before,and are either bigger,or yellow inside. They also have small vents.

How long should I allow before deciding to cull? I definitely would not want to feed hens that will never lay.
 
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They are actually born with all the yolks they will ever lay. Hens/pullets that are laying will have yolks that are different sizes/rates of maturity. When a yolk is ready to be turned into an egg, it is released from the oviduct and begins the process of being turned into an egg, usually taking about 24 hours.
What your sister saw, is normal for a hen that isn't laying. The reproductive system is dormant. If she had just waited another month or two, those tiny yolks would have been ready for release into eggs.
They will lay, just be patient. Hens that are in their second summer of laying will actually lay bigger eggs than hens under a year old.
 
In your "then and now" pics in post number 3, their faces in the "now" shot are starting to look nice and red. Given a bit more time, I'm sure they'll start laying anytime. They had three things against them over the winter: It was winter, they molted and they moved to a new home as well. Molting is stress all on it's own, moving to a new home is also stressful for them and it all affects egg laying. I suspect given time to settle in, you'll start seeing eggs.
 
They are actually born with all the yolks they will ever lay. Hens/pullets that are laying will have yolks that are different sizes/rates of maturity. When a yolk is ready to be turned into an egg, it is released from the oviduct and begins the process of being turned into an egg, usually taking about 24 hours.
What your sister saw, is normal for a hen that isn't laying. The reproductive system is dormant. If she had just waited another month or two, those tiny yolks would have been ready for release into eggs. 
They will lay, just be patient. Hens that are in their second summer of laying will actually lay bigger eggs than hens under a year old.
In your "then and now" pics in post number 3, their faces in the "now" shot are starting to look nice and red.  Given a bit more time, I'm sure they'll start laying anytime.  They had three things against them over the winter:  It was winter, they molted and they moved to a new home as well.  Molting is stress all on it's own, moving to a new home is also stressful for them and it all affects egg laying.  I suspect given time to settle in, you'll start seeing eggs.


So what you both say makes sense, and googling and researching molting,sounds like these hens may not be almost 1,but almost 2. They have gone through alot in the past 10 weeks,and i think its only fair to them to stick around a bit longer. But if my newly hatched chicks start laying before them, we may have to have that talk! Lol! Thanks!
 
My Wyandotte haven't resumed laying yet, the breed is slower to get going again, most will resume by the end of March.
 

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