I'd cull, unless you're really attached, especially if you can only have a few hens. It's not actually that hard to introduce a new bird, and even when (if) she finally does start laying, she's not going to start pumping out 6 a week.
Honestly, 6 months is the most time I'll wait. I have 5 month olds now, pushing 6, who are just starting and they only get a bit of a pass because I not only moved them several times as young birds, but they don't get any supplemental light and the poor things spent a couple of weeks on the corn-heavy food my pigs get when my tranny went and I couldn't get out to pick up their higher-protein food.
But any that aren't laying by their 7 month B-day are still gone - I just can't justify supporting free loaders and late starters, and experience has shown me that late laying is linked to less laying. The only bird that gets away with only giving me 3 eggs a week is my 7 year old one - she earned her place long ago.
There are some lines of Ameraucanas (sp?) that are very late bloomers. When I was very new to chickens, I had a few and the earliest that any of them laid was 8 months. Naturally, my daughter's favorite just held out ... and out ... and out. Then one day crowed, and only AFTER that grew rooster feathers. Silly thing was nearly a year old.
While the green eggs are cute, the time and expense wasn't worth it to us.
If you like her enough to keep her as a pet, then decide she's a pet and don't stress over it. But if you want eggs, I'd replace her.
Honestly, 6 months is the most time I'll wait. I have 5 month olds now, pushing 6, who are just starting and they only get a bit of a pass because I not only moved them several times as young birds, but they don't get any supplemental light and the poor things spent a couple of weeks on the corn-heavy food my pigs get when my tranny went and I couldn't get out to pick up their higher-protein food.
But any that aren't laying by their 7 month B-day are still gone - I just can't justify supporting free loaders and late starters, and experience has shown me that late laying is linked to less laying. The only bird that gets away with only giving me 3 eggs a week is my 7 year old one - she earned her place long ago.
There are some lines of Ameraucanas (sp?) that are very late bloomers. When I was very new to chickens, I had a few and the earliest that any of them laid was 8 months. Naturally, my daughter's favorite just held out ... and out ... and out. Then one day crowed, and only AFTER that grew rooster feathers. Silly thing was nearly a year old.
While the green eggs are cute, the time and expense wasn't worth it to us.
If you like her enough to keep her as a pet, then decide she's a pet and don't stress over it. But if you want eggs, I'd replace her.
