/ Register

  1. If this is your first time on BYC, we suggest you start with one of these three options:
    Raising Chickens Chicken Coops Join BYC
    If you're already a member of our community, click here to login & click here to learn what's new!

36w Pullet "practicing" daily in nest box but no eggs

Discussion in 'Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying' started by szczur, May 2, 2016.

Most Liked Posts
  1. May 2, 2016 #1
    szczur

    szczur Out Of The Brooder

    53
    9
    48
    Aug 30, 2015
    I have 8 chickens, one is a cock, 7 are pullets. 6 pullets are laying regularly. The seventh is a runty polish who was squatting for a while but no egg. (I know hatchery polish females are small but she is extra-small) Now she is going into the nestbox daily, on a schedule just like she is laying (each day 2 hours later than the last), sitting in the nest a half hour to an hour, and then usually singing the egg song as she comes back out. This has been going on for 3 weeks at the least, regularly like she is producing eggs. I haven't managed to see what happens the moment of "lay" (my attention span is about 5 minutes) but I don't see any evidence she's eating a shelless egg. Her hipbones are wide and vent is moist like she should be laying.

    Is this a sign she will not produce eggs, or is an internal layer? Or is this within the realm of normal behavior? Her abdomen isn't squishy yet.... :(
     
  3. May 2, 2016 #2
    chickengeorgeto

    chickengeorgeto Overrun With Chickens

    5,224
    800
    291
    Dec 25, 2012
    One problem with Polish fowl is that their face and comb is not readily observable. Almost every hen who is at the point of lay should have a very red, swollen, and fleshy face, waddles, and comb. She should look like she has a very ripe, red strawberry for a head. So a hair cut may be in order.
     
  5. May 2, 2016 #3
    oldhenlikesdogs

    oldhenlikesdogs Sits With Chickens Premium Member

    15,914
    3,509
    436
    Jul 16, 2015
    central Wisconsin
    Polish are one of those odd breeds. If she was internally laying she would be standing like a penguin. Without see her laying you won't know, so you might need to just hang out longer, maybe take a cup of coffee.
     
  7. May 16, 2016 #4
    szczur

    szczur Out Of The Brooder

    53
    9
    48
    Aug 30, 2015
    Update: She laid a zucchini shaped egg with a very thin shell. So I guess she is laying shelless eggs. I keep trying to catch her in the act, but she always waits till I'm gone to come out of the nestbox.Thanks for your advice though! All the other hens are laying pretty normally now...so I'm not sure why she is shelless. I dewormed her and checked for mites in case its from that....nothing.
     

BackYard Chickens is proudly sponsored by