22 week old leghorns not laying yet

[CackleBabies]

Okay, so here I go again with more newbie questions.

I have a mixed flock of 8 birds, two leghorns--one white and one brown. They are 22 weeks old, and neither of them is laying yet. Actually none of my birds are laying yet, but I heard that leghorns mature fast and start laying as early as 16-18 weeks. Well, a friend came to our house four days ago, an older farmer whose kept chickens, looked at my white leghorn and said he's suspicious that Matilda might be a Max. So now I'm worried, since two of my flock of eight are already confirmed roosters.

On Matilda I noticed:
She has a huge red comb that doesn't flop over like a hen's. (Hazel's comb is floppy and smaller)
She has shown me and my girls the submissive squat for about a week now.
She doesn't have pointy hackle feathers or long sickle feathers that roosters have.
She spurns any and all attention, and an attack from my now frisky buff brahma rooster, and knocked him down a peg (which he needed, since he is now suddenly a bit of a jerk to all the other birds).

They free range all day on 2 acres, with access to water and layer crumbles. I also give them sunflower seeds, millet, watermelon, strawberries, blueberries, cucumbers and other raw fruits and vegetables as treats. They seem to get along well (with the exception of Brewster Cogburn's (buff brahma rooster) recent rude behavior.

So, my questions:
a) Is Matilda a hen or a rooster?
b) Could flock dynamics (i.e., Brewster Cogburn's rooster behavior) interfere with hens laying? I've read that stress can stop egg laying; can it delay it from starting?)
c) Can she be laying eggs out in the yard, and how can I find them and curb this behavior if it is happening; and
d) Besides adding oyster shells to their diet, what can I do to make the egg laying commence?

I'll post more pictures this evening of Matilda (white leghorn) and Hazel (brown leghorn). It has become quite a chicken drama at my house. I appreciate any and all suggestions, tips and information.

 

[junebuggena]

None of them look mature enough to lay from looking at that picture. They free range, and they get lots of treats, so maybe they aren't eating enough of a balance, complete chicken feed. An unbalanced diet or nutritional deficiencies can slow down development. The other problem with close to laying age pullets, free ranging without older hens to show them to use the nest boxes, is that they could start laying somewhere on your 2 acres. Once they start that habit, it can be difficult to change. They will hold off on laying for several days if denied access to 'their spot.' It can take several days/weeks of confinement to the coop/run before everyone uses the nest boxes consistently.

 

[CackleBabies]

Thanks for your response Junebuggena. Here are pictures of Matilta today. The other photo was about 6-8 weeks ago. So you have a better idea of what she looks like today. I think she's a hen, personally, but I'm worried that she's not getting the right nutrition. Should I stop the treats until they're laying?

 

[Peeps61]

I'm pretty sure the white leghorn is a hen if she's doing the egg squat for you. I would think she would start laying soon, if she's doing that. Maybe she's hiding the eggs? When mine were doing that, I'd watch where they ran to first thing when they were let out, then go back a little later and either catch them in the act, or get the eggs I found. They got locked in for a week or two until they started laying in the boxes as needed.

 

[CackleBabies]

Thank you! I'll keep my eye on them for the next few days to see where they go. Thanks for your help!

 

[junebuggena]

I would definitely keep them in their run for a few days at least, just to make sure they aren't hiding any eggs. My girls decided to start a nest in the middle of a wild blackberry patch. It was not fun getting all the eggs out. If they free range, they do not need treats. Too many can upset their nutrition. Cut it back to once or twice a week.