6.5-month-old hen and no eggs--also, she is sleeping on the ground!

[BackyardZen]

Hello Community!

We have 8 hens in a chicken tractor here in Long Island, NY.

Some background on our operation:
I move the chicken tractor every morning to a fresh spot of grass. We provide a high-quality layer pellet feed available at all times. We provide water available at all times (via 2 bell drinkers each fed by 5-gallon buckets). We mix crushed oyster shell into their food (1 pound to 20 pounds of layer pellet feed). Once a month I add 1/2 cup diatomaceous earth to their layer pellet feed and mix it in. We also have a separate small container attached to the hardware cloth of the chicken tractor with crushed oyster shell. We also add 5 tablespoons of to each of the 5-gallon buckets of water upon refilling.

My question:
We have a Lavender Orpington since 5/5/2019 when we picked her up as a day-old chick. We got her along with 2 Sapphire Blue Plymouth Rocks. So this Lavender Orpington has never laid an egg and she is 6.5 months old. She looks healthy (feathers, comb/wattle/earlobes), although she has always been on the light side in terms of weight. She is the last in the pecking order as she is the shyest and most apprehensive. Our chicken tractor has 2 levels: the bottom for grass and foraging, and the 2nd floor has roosting bars and nesting boxes. All of the 7 other hens jump/flap up the roosting bars upon dusk. She looks up to the roosting bars, paces around, and strategizes as to how to get up there. More often than not, she sleeps on the floor. Many nights, I will lift her up manually to the roosting bars and she will stay there for the night. Why isn't she laying eggs and will she start laying eggs soon? Why isn't she jumping/flapping to the roosting bars like the 7 other hens do?

Below are the breeds, the date of receiving the day-old chick and their laying habits.

• Buff Orpington: 3/18/2019 (has laid regularly, but none in 2+ months)
• Olive Egger: 3/18/2019 (has laid regularly, but none in 2+ months)
• Speckled Sussex: 3/18/2019 (has laid regularly, but none in 2+ months)
• Speckled Sussex: 3/18/2019 (has laid regularly, but none in 2+ months)
• Easter Egger: 3/18/2019 (stalled for a short while and now lays regularly)
• Sapphire Blue Plymouth Rock: 5/5/2019 (lays regularly)
• Sapphire Blue Plymouth Rock: 5/5/2019 (lays regularly)
• Lavender Orpington: 5/5/2019 (never laid)

Thanks for any feedback!

 

[ChickNanny13]

Your LO probably won't be laying for a few more months ... Orpington's are slower to mature, she'll probably start laying late Dec or in Jan. Chickens laying goes with the weather, as we've entered Fall going into Winter, they'll slack off. They need at least 12 - 14hr of light to lay, they lay an egg every 20 - 24hrs, depends on the breed also. They also slack off when molting, so you're birds are "normal".

Since you're feeding high quality Layer, put a separate dish of Oyster Shells out for them instead of mixing into their feed. Your choice about mixing DE with their feed, some feed has it added to help prevent feed mites ...

Orpingtons are heavier birds, mine took "forever" to roost and I had to "encourage" them. Give her time, she'll get there when she's ready.
How much room on the roost?
How high is the roost?

 

[aart]

How much room on the roost?
How high is the roost?

Yes, would be good to have dimensions and see pics, inside and out, of your tractor.

..and I commented on the calcium aspect on your other thread:

Why so much calcium?
They layer feed should have plenty, and having some OS in a separate container can be good, but there's no reason to mix more into the feed and put it into their water.
No good reason to mix DE into the feed either, unless you have grain mites in your feed.

Sometimes birds that age may have a partial molt their first fall/winter.

I'll ask to see your tractor in your other thread here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...s-also-she-is-sleeping-on-the-ground.1340594/

 

[BackyardZen]

How much room on the roost?
How high is the roost?

The roosting bar space is 96 inches (48 inches per bar). There is also an additional roosting bar of 48 inches in front of the nesting boxes that I try to discourage the sleeping in, but one or two do occasionally sleep in there.

The roosting bars are 24 inches off of the ground.

I have stopped mixing the oyster shell into their main food supply as you have recommended. I have it in just the separate dish attached to the side of the coop.

Thanks for your help!