7 1/2 month hen won't lay! why?

[adcockfarm]

We have 6 hens, one of them is a Welsummer.

she is 7 1/2 months old and still won't lay.

the other 5 all lay except her. she is low on the pecking order and our barred-rock always pecks her. we let them out to free range often and they seem to be happy + healthy.

is she just late? or is she stressed out by getting pecked?

she also sometimes tries to peck people, but I don't think that would change anything.

 

[adcockfarm]

We found an egg in the dirt of the coop, it is different from the other eggs, but it's not the typical dark-colored speckled welsummer egg. I read + saw they are not as dark when they start though.

 

[DianaMallory]

Are you sure she isn't laying her eggs while she is out free ranging? Is she molting?

 

[adcockfarm]

Nothing in yard. Not molting too young. All the others were purchased with in weeks of each other and they r all laying beautifully almost daily. She hadn't laid one yet. And the others are always laying in the nesting box except for maybe two random occurrences. Us there a chance a hen just will never lay??

 

[Cindy in PA]

Not all Welsummers will lay really dark or speckled eggs, depends on the breeding. Also most eggs are darker when the hens start to lay & get lighter through the season.