Age of laying hen

[cmhudson33]

Hello! We just purchased 3 hens from a seller who seems to have scammed us. All three have been sick in some way as soon as we got them to our house. It is partially my fault for not inspecting them enough (it’s been several years since we had chickens). But he told us they were 8 months old and I am fairly certain one is quite older but wanted feedback if possible. She has very long toenails and huge feet. She has not laid any eggs but that could be stress or the respiratory infection. Thank you for any insight.

 

[aart]

Sure look older than 8 months, but it's almost impossible to tell.
Bummer they are sick, not a great way to start a new flock.

 

[azygous]

I agree with @aart that it's impossible to tell the age of a hen. Sometimes, depending on breed, the body of a hen may seem to appear lower to the ground the older she gets. But you'd need a young hen of the same breed to compare her to.

Rate of egg laying is a better indication of age. The younger the hen, the more often she will lay an egg, and they will be consistent. An older hen may not lay as often.

Almost all laying hens will go through a period of adjustment when brought to a new home. It could be a week or two before they are comfortable in their new surroundings to begin laying. Be patient.