Cream Legbar hens won't lay eggs at 26 weeks

[Nannner]

Maybe I'm just excited and impatient but my Cream Legbar hens have not laid at 26 weeks of age. I'm feeding them commercial grade crumble. I have two that are sister's. I also have a RIR which is about 10 months old that is a laying champ. What am I doing wrong?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That still pretty young to start laying, most breeds start between 4-9 months, with many coming in at about 5-6 months, so I would expect her to start within the next month.

You said you were feeding a crumble but didn't specify what type and protein. If you have switched to layer already than the lower protein can slow down maturity, and the beginning of lay, so keep them on a grower longer and offer a separate bowl of oyster shells for calcium.

 

[Nannner]

I feed them this with Purina Layer Crumble

 

[junebuggena]

I feed them this with Purina Layer Crumble

Which Scratch and Peck feed is that? Layer? Starter? Scratch grains? They make a lot of different feeds.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I feed them this with Purina Layer Crumble

That looks like a nice mix of seeds, what's the protein content? A grower is about 18-20%, layer is 16%, so you are probably feeding 16% or less. I will often add scratch into my pullets diet to lower their protein, which slows sexual maturity and the onset of lay. I personally like to delay it a bit and give my girls a chance to finish growing. So depending on when you switched their diet you may have slowed her maturity. I don't personally feed layer as I find it isn't enough protein to support my chickens and the way I feed them. 16% is about the minimum they should receive, if your scratch is lower than your overall daily protein is lower too.