Chickens not looking any older?

[operationindigo]

My chickens are about 4 3/4 months old or so. As of right now, they have a bit of a comb and waddles developed, but they still seem smallish and don't look much older than they did when I got them at 10 weeks. I live in Jacksonville, FL - so it isn't dramatically cold here or anything. I'm worried that they are not getting the proper nutrition - as they don't seem to be maturing very much. Is this a normal thing? When can I expect them to be old enough to lay?

My girls eat Purina Flock Raiser formula and there are only 2 of them - they have a decent sized run attached to a good size coop. One hen is a barred rock and the other is a brown leghorn. Does this seem normal?

Sorry if these concerns sound silly - first time hen mama!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

did you ever have a kitten that hit that 4 month stage and just seemed to stay there? i think its like that. i feed my little ones the same feed as you and they are fine . its not a food issue.

 

[sepaditty1]

I actually was thinking the same thing about my two Easter Eggers. Then I went away for a long weekend. When I came home they looked huge! I'm not sure how much of it was a growth spurt and how much was just because I didn't see them for a few days.

 

[Tacampbell1973]

I also beleive it is a case of you don't realize how much they have grown because you see them every day. I thought the same thing of my Guinea Keets until my husband saw them after a week and he said something to the effect of :"Holy S----! Those things got huge". Those Things Indeed. Those Things are my babies. But you get what I mean. You don't realize how big they are until you step back from them . I realized he was right (as usual

) when I looked back and realized that they used to get stuck in their one quart feeder.I mean crawled inside the jar through the food hole. And now they couldn't even get their heads in the hole. Good luck.

 

[donrae]

Do you have pictures?

The one in your avatar looks to be on track for 4ish months old.

 

[operationindigo]

The avatar is one of my girls - that picture was taken in october - so about 2 months ago.