19 week Barred Rock Showing all egg-laying signs for weeks, no eggs?

[montanabirdlady]

I have 7 pullets who are all around 19 weeks of age. One in particular is a barred rock who has a large red comb/wattle, been squatting (sits down/shoulder of wings spread/ruffles feathers/stays in this position until you walk further away), more talkative, vent redish pink and moist, pelvic bones mature (2 fingers and then some). She has been this way for 2-3 weeks now. All of the chickens look extremely healthy, no parasites or other. They have plenty of nesting boxes, and appear they have been nesting in them from time to time. They are NOT free-range (too many local predators), but have a large coop/outdoor run. I haven't found remnants of an egg anywhere. I cannot feel a bound egg in her pelvic region, and she is acting completely normal for a healthy chicken.

What am I missing? Am I near seeing an egg? Should I have already seen one? Could they be eating them and leaving no trace? I haven't physically seen them in the boxes, but I rearrange the shavings once in awhile to see if I can find traces of something, and to see how often they are in the boxes.

 

[sourland]

Patience. It's still early except for the high production hybrids. They will lay.

 

[nuthatched]

They'll lay when they're ready and not before. They'll lay just after you've given up because chickens live on spite.

 

[montanabirdlady]

They'll lay when they're ready and not before. They'll lay just after you've given up because chickens live on spite.

This made me giggle! Thank you for that.

 

[WIchickMama]

Our Barred Rock laid at 21 weeks, just as an fyi--so my guess she is close but not quite ready

 

[TooCheep]

Eaten eggs don't totally disappear. You would see remnants if that was the problem. She'll lay when she's ready.

 

[montanabirdlady]

Eaten eggs don't totally disappear. You would see remnants if that was the problem. She'll lay when she's ready.

Good to know

 

[montanabirdlady]

They'll lay when they're ready and not before. They'll lay just after you've given up because chickens live on spite.

So I went home yesterday to take a look in their coop, and in the back corner of the coop were 4 small to medium sized eggs partially hidden under a blanket of feathers! Which is funny because they have been moving the golf balls around and nesting in the boxes! YAY

The next question is who done it.

 

[TooCheep]

So, the nests were available, but she hid them out of spite?

Do you have any fake eggs or golf balls in the nests? Chickens like to lay where there is already eggs, so you want to train them to lay in the nests instead of on the ground in a random location.

 

[montanabirdlady]

So, the nests were available, but she hid them out of spite?

Do you have any fake eggs or golf balls in the nests? Chickens like to lay where there is already eggs, so you want to train them to lay in the nests instead of on the ground in a random location.

Must of been out of spite because there are golf balls in the nest. LOL. I might try moving the egg over to the box and leaving it there too next time she lays one. Funny that they are nesting in there and moving the golf balls around. SPITE.