6 month old hens not laying

[ChickenMama143]

We have 5 hens, we purchased them in late June/early July when they were 2 weeks old. Our 2 Golden Comet hens started laying at least a month ago and lay 1 egg a day each.

We have one Speckled Sussex and 2 Araucanas which are not laying. They don't exhibit any signs of being roosters so we have no reason to believe that's the reason for no eggs. I've heard Araucanas take a long time to mature and lay eggs and one of ours is scissor-beak so I'm not expecting anything from her but I'm puzzled about the Speckled Sussex. She just started squatting for me periodically recently, the normal Araucana does this for me occasionally as well, but not eggs!

Is 6 - 9 months old a normal range? TIA

 

[junebuggena]

For pullets that mature in the fall/winter, 6 to 9 months old is perfectly normal. The shorter days does seem to slow their development a bit. The days are getting longer now, so they should be starting soon.

 

[cavemanrich]

For pullets that mature in the fall/winter, 6 to 9 months old is perfectly normal. The shorter days does seem to slow their development a bit. The days are getting longer now, so they should be starting soon.

X2 on all above, Another thing I wanted to add. The Golden Comets are Egg machines that do develop earlier.

 

[donrae]

I have 5 pullets I hatched in late June that are showing absolutely NO signs of maturity yet. No combs to speak of, the rooster still treats them like babies, nothing. They all have an Ameraucana father, the mothers were Dark Cornish and mixed breed blue eggers.

When I've had more production based birds, like your Comets, I've had very good luck with them starting to lay in the dead of winter. My hatchery speckled Sussex, though, were never that great of a laying bird. Not on the level of my Rocks or sex links, even Welsummers. But the good news is the days are getting longer from here on out, and that's going to trigger them to start laying.

Eventually......

 

[Ballerina Bird]

If they are squatting for you, then they are getting there. The days are just too short right now.

 

[ChickenMama143]

Thank you all for the info! Very helpful!

 

[Chapel Hill Chicks]

If it makes you feel any better, I have a 9-mos. old Speckled Sussex pullet who has, to my knowledge, never laid an egg. Her comb is red like the other hens, but my rooster doesn't pursue her the way he pursues the other hens in the morning. She has such a sweet temperament and is fiercely loyal to a Buff Orpington hen who is just a couple of weeks older.

I'm hoping for some egg action from her come spring, but I'm not stressed about it now with the solstice having just passed. The days are beginning to get longer, so I'm going to give the freeloader a pass until March.

 

[ChickenMama143]

I was just out there and they were both squatting for me so I took a peek into the nesting box and all the hay was pushed around. As I approached I saw a perfectly creamy white egg!!! I think I'll be adding some blue eggs to this picture in the next couple of weeks too!

Spin off question: my scissor beak is smaller than the other girls (probably half the size) and she doesn't squat, is there any hope she'll ever lay an egg?

 

[cavemanrich]

She is slower to down the feed than the others, hence, her smaller size. I think she will get to laying, but later than usual. Her production may be a reduced number.. Give her a chance

Post a pix of her and her beak. Just wondering if trimming her TOP portion would aid her in eating.??? VERY IMPORTANT::::: NEVER TRIM THE BOTTOM PORTION.. She would not be able to drink at that stage. When we see a pix, then maybe there will be some Ideas.

 

[ChickenMama143]

She's finally putting on weight. I spoil her and give her Greek Yogurt and Steel Cut Oatmeal. She's beautiful and I wish she wasn't scissor beak/cross beak. I'll try to get a close up of her this week. She really needs the top beak trimmed.