1 year old, still hasn't laid...please help

[ws6652]

I have a barred rock who is about to turn one year old, and she has yet to lay any eggs. She has, however, squatted down when I went to pick her up and sat in the nest box several times for maybe an hour each time. Sometimes she even tries to get into the nest box with the other laying hen, effectively shoving her out and taking her place and pushing the egg under herself. She's not broody. Probably does this a few times a month.

Her comb, face, and wattles are bright red and grown. Her pelvic bones are wider than two fingers. I just don't understand it. Her butt area is significantly larger than the RIR, like a tennis ball. If you ran a hand down her underside, you would feel a large bulbous fluffy butt. She seems perfectly healthy though and there's no visible redness or swelling.

I am 100% positive she hasn't laid. No debate there. What could be the problem?

 

[BantamLover21]

Did you get her as a chick (so you know she is actually 1 year old)? Are you sure she is a hen?

If the answer to both of those questions is yes, and since you say that she definitely hasn't laid, than either she is laying unknown to you, she is a very late layer, or she has a reproductive problems that may mean she'll never lay. Are you positive that there is no place she could be hiding eggs, or that she is not laying eggs that are really similar to/indistinguishable from your other hen(s)'s eggs? I would also consider the fact that she could be eating any eggs that she lays, although you would still probably see some shell fragments if that were the case.

It is possible that she may lay eventually, though I've never heard of a production-type breed taking a year to begin laying. I would more suspect an internal deformity (likely present since hatch) that is making her unable to form or lay eggs. Or, she may be an internal layer; the fact that her abdomen is swollen/larger than normal could be a symptom of this. If it is a internal deformity or internal laying, there is nothing you can do to help.

For now, if you don't mind waiting for eggs from her, I would make sure she is eating a healthy diet for a laying (or close to laying) bird and see what happens. Offer a high protein feed, such as gamebird feed or chick starter/grower feed, and also supplement with extra calcium in the form of oystershell or finely ground egg shells. Some extra vitamins in the water couldn't hurt, either. Make sure she is free of external parasites and isn't too stressed out, as well.

 

[GOTchickens1978]

I have 4 Barred Rock pullets. 3 of them started laying a month ago around 26 weeks. The 4th one has not laid yet. She started squatting 2 weeks ago but no 4th egg yet. I get 3 eggs 5-6 days a week, sometimes 2, so I'm almost certain the 4th hasn't started yet. I've searched my yard multiple multiple times for possible hiding spots but nothing. I think tmrw I will leave them locked up in the run and see.

 

[GOTchickens1978]

I have 4 Barred Rock pullets. 3 of them started laying a month ago around 26 weeks. The 4th one has not laid yet. She started squatting 2 weeks ago but no 4th egg yet. I get 3 eggs 5-6 days a week, sometimes 2, so I'm almost certain the 4th hasn't started yet. I've searched my yard multiple multiple times for possible hiding spots but nothing. I think tmrw I will leave them locked up in the run and see.

 

[duckie mama]

It seems very possible that you may have a couple of of every other day layers. My Bar Rocks lay 1 today and the other will lay tomorrow. But that makes it mote fun.

 

[ShanandGem]

I have a Bantam cross pullet that is nearly a year old and hasn't laid an egg. She is sleek and healthy, and so I am just waiting her out. The term 'late bloomer' comes to mind...

 

[GOTchickens1978]

My 4th barred rock finally laid an egg! A whole month later than the other 3. Yesterday, we got 4 eggs out of 4 girls!