24 week old black australorp... no eggs

[Dogs Cows Chicken]

All of my 24 week olds have been laying for a week or two. Morticia could have started 8 weeks ago. Still no eggs. When should I be concerned? How will her health be affected if she doesn't produce?

She is a pet, so she'll always have a home here. I just worry it could be a sign of something underlying or create a health issue.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I see you are in Texas. That means you are north of the equator so the days are as short as they are going to get. The length of day can have an effect on them starting to lay, especially decorative breeds. BA's are a production breed. Some will still delay laying because of the length of day but they can be much less affected by that.

I've had BA's. These were raised in the spring and came into lay in summer. If I had 10 BA's (or other production breeds) I'd expect to get the first egg or two somewhere around 18 or 19 weeks of age. By 24 weeks, your hen's age, I'd expect half of them to be laying, maybe one or two more than half. I'd expect the last of the 10 to be laying by 27 weeks. I've had a few go longer but, in general, if they are not laying by 27 weeks they have volunteered to be eaten. As a pet she is safe from that with you.

I've had some pullets start laying in December, with the shortest days of the year. It does happen but I've also had some wait.

I don't know how many you have. You have to have enough for averages to mean something but to me it sounds like you have been extremely lucky to get so many laying this early even ignoring the time of the year.

Her face looks kind of red but her comb doesn't. Maybe it is a trick of the light. A dark red comb is a sign that they might be getting close to laying. I'm getting mixed signals from her. She may be close, it may still be a while.

Good luck. I would not be worried about her health at all. She looks great.

 

[WingItRanch]

I agree with Ridgerunner. She looks healthy so I wouldn't worry. She's just taking her time maturing. Sometimes this is a good thing as the late bloomers may continue laying later in life.

All my pullets were born the first week of April and I still have a freeloading Easter Egger. I'm guessing she'll start laying in February when the days are longer.

 

[sourland]

Judging by her picture, she is just a late maturing bird. She will lay in time.

 

[Dogs Cows Chicken]

I see you are in Texas. That means you are north of the equator so the days are as short as they are going to get. The length of day can have an effect on them starting to lay, especially decorative breeds. BA's are a production breed. Some will still delay laying because of the length of day but they can be much less affected by that.

I've had BA's. These were raised in the spring and came into lay in summer. If I had 10 BA's (or other production breeds) I'd expect to get the first egg or two somewhere around 18 or 19 weeks of age. By 24 weeks, your hen's age, I'd expect half of them to be laying, maybe one or two more than half. I'd expect the last of the 10 to be laying by 27 weeks. I've had a few go longer but, in general, if they are not laying by 27 weeks they have volunteered to be eaten. As a pet she is safe from that with you.

I've had some pullets start laying in December, with the shortest days of the year. It does happen but I've also had some wait.

I don't know how many you have. You have to have enough for averages to mean something but to me it sounds like you have been extremely lucky to get so many laying this early even ignoring the time of the year.

Her face looks kind of red but her comb doesn't. Maybe it is a trick of the light. A dark red comb is a sign that they might be getting close to laying. I'm getting mixed signals from her. She may be close, it may still be a while.
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Good luck. I would not be worried about her health at all. She looks great.

I rushed through my original post and wasn't as thorough as I should have been. I'll add some detail.

I have 5 youngsters, all 24 weeks and one day old. Here's a brief production report (bold & red indicates expected point of lay factored into my selections when I researched what breeds I wanted for my flock)...

• (* Edith * Silver Laced Wyandotte * first egg: 11/24/24 * age: 19w/6d (20) * Note: Every day between 8:30-9:30 am
• * Peggy - Barred Rock * first egg: 12/7 * age: 21w/6d (16-20) * Note: first egg was HUGE, the size of two eggs, with weird shell that looked like 2 eggs fused together, double yolk; took a little break, then another double yolk; laid one soft and squishy egg, then 6started laying small-but-normal eggs 4-6 days/week
• * Marion * Colombian Wyandotte * first egg: 12/14 * age: 22w/6d (20) * Note: She spent most of her time in nesting box for two days then laid her 1st egg in the run. She's produced 7eggs in 10 days
• * Red * Buff Minorca * first_/Iegg: 12/16 * age: 23w/1d (20-24)* Note: I was convinced Red was a cockarel until I found her first egg next to the watering system in the run. She has given me 6 eggs in 8 days
• * Morticia * Black Australorp * first egg:N/A * age: 24w/1d (16-17) *

I wanted to post a full-body picture of Morticia in my original post and didn't even think about the comb color until I had already gone to work, but I know better. The pic in my original post (pale comb, etc) was taken about two weeks ago.*

This is her a few hours ago.
is is Mortician a

 

[rosemarythyme]

(bold & red indicates expected point of lay factored into my selections when I researched what breeds I wanted for my flock)...

Every chicken is an individual so while breed standard can give you a rough idea of when they might lay in ideal conditions, it's not at all unusual for birds to not hit the target.

24+ weeks is normal and reasonable for a bird coming into point of lay in the shortest days of the year.

I wanted to post a full-body picture of Morticia in my original post and didn't even think about the comb color until I had already gone to work, but I know better. The pic in my original post (pale comb, etc) was taken about two weeks ago.*

This is her a few hours ago.

Well she definitely looks closer.

 

[WingItRanch]

My expectation of when my Plymouth Barred Rocks would start laying = 18 weeks

Reality = 27 weeks

I have an Easter Egger that's over 9 months old and still hasn't laid her first egg. Morticia does look closer to POL but every chicken matures at different rates. You can research and estimate but nature can be unpredictable.

 

[Ridgerunner]

That should be a nice looking flock. I prefer the mixed flocks like that.

(bold & red indicates expected point of lay factored into my selections when I researched what breeds I wanted for my flock)...

Research is good but read these things with a grain of salt. Different breeders have different priorities. Some may breed for early lay, some may breed for laying more eggs once they start. Some may breed for eggshell color or maybe size of the eggs. Some may breed more for meat than eggs. Some may breed for a chicken show and not worry about production issues. The flock they come from can make a big difference. Even from the same flock from the same breeder there can be a wide difference between individuals.

You've noticed that most of yours missed their dates. I suspect those dates are when you could expect your first egg if you have several of them as opposed to when the last one in a large group will lay her first egg.

My personal preference is that they start laying a bit later rather than real early. It gives their bodies a little more time to mature so they are less likely to have the start-up problems similar to what Peggy had.

This is her a few hours ago.

I agree, she looks close.

 

[Dogs Cows Chicken]

That should be a nice looking flock. I prefer the mixed flocks like that.

I think they look pretty together, but I'm not sure what I was thinking When I got Kitty. I mean, the theme is pretty Black and White... and Kitty. IDK.

Thanks for the rest of your comment. It makes sense when put that way.

 

[Dogs Cows Chicken]

SHE DID IT!

MORTICIA has laid an egg!

All six of my girls have become producers!

I am so proud!!!​