1 year old and 1 egg.

mrsfore3

In the Brooder
Mar 24, 2019
3
17
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I have a Dominique who just turned 1. She laid her first egg last month. About 3 weeks ago we noticed that her comb was very pale. Of course, I panicked! We wormed the flock and checked them all for mites and lice. She’s eating and acting completely normal. No one is bullying her. My other two Doms, 4 EEs and 3 Buffs are laying just fine. They’re all the same age. None of them had a real molt, but I read that it’s not unusual the first year. Any idea what might be going on with poor Minnie?
 
Most hens that are not actively laying will have a pale shriveled comb.
Could she have been hiding them? Check the space between the pointy pelvic bones. 2 finger width or more and she's likely laying, less than that and she isn't.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/
What are you feeding your birds?
I’ll check her pelvis tonight. I’m feeding them 18% layer feed, some black oil sunflower seeds, a few veggie scraps from my kitchen or some scrambled eggs or oatmeal in the morning. I give them greens from the garden or fresh herbs, but I make sure that at least 80% of their nutrition is feed. They’re in a large, enclosed run and a coop so there’s really nowhere for her to hide eggs.
 
She must just be a malingerer. Days are getting much longer now so she should get with the program soon.
My only concern would be that she has been eating layer feed (approx. 4% calcium), likely for a while but hasn't had a use for all that calcium if she has only built one egg shell.
 

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