Black Sex Link Question

[sellersgang]

I have 2 Black Sex Links that are now 28 wks old. As far as I know, neither of them have started to lay yet. My question is this tho.. One of them has a small comb that is gray in color. It has been like this since we got her at 14 wks old. Is this normal? The other one has a pinkish color comb.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Are you sure of their age? And are you sure of their breed?
Most sex links start laying very early, like at 16 weeks.

The combs will turn bright red before they start laying. And mine also will hunker down in the "breeding position" when I go to pet them right before they are about to start laying.

Could it be what you feed?
I feed whole grains mostly and I make a mash and my Black Stars started laying huge eggs at 16 weeks old. Mine also free range. Environment has a lot to do with it, too. They like to lay in a dark nest box that is covered and where it is relatively quiet. Well, not always as sometimes I find an "oops" egg out in the dirt in the courtyard from my Faverolles usually.

 

[sellersgang]

Im pretty sure of their age or at least thats what the people we bought them from told us. As for feed they get Layena pellets and occasional treats of yogurt, cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes and they get to free range most days for 1 - 2 hrs.

Do young ones have gray combs?

Oh and the nest boxes are covered and in a dark place. I have 4 red sexlink that are not laying either. Now im wondering if the ages were told to me wrong.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I would guess that the ages might not have been told correctly to you. Pinkish or gray comb is an immature pullet. Take some photos and post them to show what they are looking like in the face.

 

[sellersgang]

Ok.. I questioned DH again and he bought them on July 18th and was told they were 6 wks old (he told me 10) but still if my counting is correct that still makes them 23 wks old instead of 28. I will try to get some pics this weekend and post on here. I looked again at lunch and her waddles are turning red but that comb is still gray. Since they appear in perfect health im going to assume they are younger than we were told.. lol