BCM not laying

[char259]

I have just 5 hens. 2 Easter Eggers, 1 SLW, 1 BO and 1 BCM.

Some days I get 4 eggs, sometimes 3, others 2, rarely 1, but I know the BCM isn't laying at all because the eggs I get are always blue and/or light brown. The EE's lay the most consistently.

She was stressed when I got her. Had been in a pen with a small percentage of hens to roosters and the feathers on her back had been pulled. The pecking continued from my BO but I bought her a black apron and that seemed to stop it. She has been wormed. She seems to be low on the pecking order so when I take their treats I always put out a smaller bowl away from the others for her to eat. It appears as though just her top beak has been debeaked as it's just a smidgen shorter than her bottom one. But she eats very well. She has been in the pen with the other 4 hens for a month now but she is still not laying.

Am I being too impatient? I really want to see that dark brown egg.

 

[AyeUpChuck]

It could be varying factors. And I hate to say this but she may be laying. Marans don't always lay a super dark egg. I have a blue who's egg color is no different than a BO. That being said, she may just be stressed. I also find that the Marans like a very dark private place to lay. If she doesn't have enough room or privacy, she may not lay. There are all kinds of factors at work. Just be patient and

Hope it goes well!

 

[char259]

Thanks for the reply. The nesting boxes are all on the darker side of the coop. They are all inside most of the time. I guess i should explain their coop is a 10x10 dog kennel surrounded on 3 sides and a roof by a tin building that used to be a run in for our horses. So there is plenty of light, plenty of ventilation and consequently plenty of dark towards the back.

On the weekends we pen up the dogs and let the chicks free range on our 2 acres, so they have free time as well.

I guess without sitting out there all day, until I catch her I won't know.

I really wanted those dark eggs!

Patience, patience, patience...

Thanks again.

 

[FireTigeris]

I have BCM that lays nice dark eggs and one that lays eggs that are lighter then the RIR eggs, they are the same age and full sisters...

crazy huh?

you could put some food color up the vents of everyone else (or your known brown egg leayers- if you get a color free egg its her's ... or you could put the color in her but that'll stress her maybe?

Also there was 6 weeks difference in my BCM laying...

 

[char259]

food color! Now that's a novel idea! hmmmmmm

 

[FireTigeris]

Oh and my newly laying BCM only lay every other day at best- the loafers sometimes take off three days in a row!

 

[char259]

But I'm VERY new to chickens. Could i just put some food color around her vent???

I can just see my DH's face when I ask him to hold her so I can do this!!

 

[FireTigeris]

Quote:
Yes. the outside edge?

Maybe we should channel someone more experienced...

Do this at night with two people, one to hold her upside-down gently, the other with the food color ready... and squirt!

(I've only done it on/in the vent.)