A few days shy of 24 weeks and look at the difference...PHOTOS!

[Hatrick]

My three Barred Rocks will be 24 weeks on Monday and two of the have been laying since just before 20/21 weeks. I have one hold out. She hasn't laid yet and I'm worried because I moved them to layer feed two weeks ago. I'm posting this photo to show the difference between two of them, the size and colour of the combs and such. She's a big girl, however I do believe she is lowest in the pecking order among the three. Does that have anything to do with it? At what point should I be concerned that she isn't laying? Besides right now.

 

[mzrea]

I want an answer to this question too! I have four mixed breed all 28 weeks old. Three are laying and have been for about 5-6 weeks. One hold out that I have begun to worry about as well.

 

[damselfish]

Her comb looks odd in the photo, like it's going to turn out as a rose comb or some other kind of comb instead of a regular.

Could she be a Dominique? I know nothing about them, or what their egg-laying dates might be, but have read on there that they have a flatter comb.
Edited to add- Well, I do know one thing: they look kind of like Barred Rocks!

In any case, no matter what she is, I think 24 weeks is too early to be worrying. She looks nice and healthy...

Good luck!

 

[mags2009]

I also have two barred rocks that look like that, mine are 20 weeks (no eggs yet, though!) but one has well-formed wattles and comb, the other very little. I too, would like to know why such a difference in them?

Thanks!

 

[ella]

She'll lay when she's ready. They are just like people, they will naturally mature at different rates. Slower maturing hens may well lay and live longer, so if you want to worry, you can worry about your highly productive young layers.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I think you just have a late bloomer.

 

[fshinggrl]

They mature at different rates.

 

[wombat]

I have had birds of the same breed, from the same hatching start laying six weeks apart from one another.

If she's mature, she can eat layer ration even if she has not come into lay yet.

 

[insiderart]

Which is the one in question? One looks like a roo to me...

 

[Hatrick]

The one in the background is the one who isn't laying yet, the one in the front is Kay and she's been laying for about three weeks now. Who do you think is a roo and why? I think by this point we would have known that.