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

[ging3rhoffman]

I have 2 welsummer hens that are the same age ane the one is alot smaller than the other, but both are healthy. I think they are just like any animal or person, some just have a slower start. I wouldnt be worried.

 

[1birdlady]

Hatrick,
I'm glad you asked this because we have something similar going on...we have 4 Barred Rocks, 3 of whom are laying and matured at about the same rate, within 2 weeks of each other.

However, one is way behind the others and also low in the "pecking order"...and she really literally gets pecked on by the "Bi**hy Boss" hen.

(Who also pecked ME on my leg today and left a mark!)

I was told when they all reach 28 weeks to check the vent of one we know is laying, and then check hers...it should be 3 fingers wide, if she is ready. (TO: experts out there, is this true?)

She also does not do the "squat" yet as the other 3 do.

Awwww..we always feel for the "under-chicken", and try to feed her extra greens and treats. Ya know?

 

[fldiver97]

hatrick, my "older' chickens will all be 27 weeks tomorrow, one EE and 3 GLW's. Only the biggest (chief hen....) is laying and she started exctly 3 weeks ago. They're all bout the same size but their combs and wattles are much smaller. I expect them to start laying soon now, at least one other GLW. But I would not be surprised if the other two will be another 2 - 3 weeks...

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Quote:

She will lay when she is ready. Her comb looks fine, some combs just don't get as big as others early.

 

[SC_Hugh]

Quote:
No worries about your hold-out, I have one too. It has been almost three weeks since the sister started laying and my hold-out is...holding out.

Notice how much shorter her (non-layer) wattles and comb are than the one that is laying?

They mature at different speeds. Also, it was my dominant pullet that was the one that laid first.

Dominique is my one pullet that is laying and her wattles are as long as my rooster's wattles

. Then the other pullet has one long wattle on one side of her face and the other one is half as long, she is not laying or getting laid by the rooster

My roo knows who is laying and who is not.

So many questions when we have never been down this road before...

--Hugh

My new favorite Smilie

, old favorite

 

[Hatrick]

What's funny is that Rosy is the biggest of the three and yet has always been the odd one out, even in the brooder. Optimus Prime Chicken is the leader of our flock and she let's everyone know it too. I guess we'll just keep waiting. Now if I could just get them to STOP SLEEPING IN THE NEST BOXES!! But that's...another post.

 

[SC_Hugh]

I feel lucky that my chickens put themselves to bed in the coop and jump up on the roost and none of them go into the nest boxes unless they are going to lay an egg. Three weeks now after the nest boxes being opened and the nest boxes are as clean as day 1 without a single turd, no wooden eggs or golf balls either. One chicken had to lay an egg on the floor before I opened their nest boxes.

Did your chickens have open access to their nest boxes before they started laying?

Interesting that my highest roosting bar is large enough for my 4 chickens if they don't hog the space by spreading out (but they usually do), so I should increase the top roost length when I rebuild it when I switch from 2"x2" roosting bars to 2"x4"'s.

--Hugh

 

[SC_Hugh]

Quote:
Quoting myself? Well, if I start bragging about my chickens being perfect, then they are going to show me up

My second layer started laying yesterday and seems to think that laying eggs from the upper rung on the roost is a bright idea

Thin shells dropped from 3.5 feet

We will see how long that one takes to find the nest boxes. So much for being smug

Hugh