Delaware won't lay

[RWise]

This sounds exactly like the Delawares that I have,,, had. I culled one as she always laid soft shells and then ate them (which would be normal for the soft shell). The other lays some eggs, but they are meat birds right? Pretty yes, bossy yes! Good layers, IMHO no!

 

[aart]

but they are meat birds right?

I think they are considered 'dual purpose', so not great at either.

 

[Latestarter]

Called dual purpose now but I think they were originally "designed" to be a meat bird for market (broilers). But yeah... I'd have to agree, mine weren't the best at either, eggs or meat.

 

[Nardo]

This sounds exactly like the Delawares that I have,,, had. I culled one as she always laid soft shells and then ate them (which would be normal for the soft shell). The other lays some eggs, but they are meat birds right? Pretty yes, bossy yes! Good layers, IMHO no!

Exactly.

 

[Nardo]

OK, here is one more from about 20 minutes ago. This is Della, the #$^&@ Delaware in question. That's dirt and sand from the dust bath all over her.

 

[aart]

She sure looks 'ready'!
Did you compare pelvic points?
Do you have a male...I wonder if she's 'playing cockbird'....but still thinking she should be laying.

 

[Nardo]

She sure looks 'ready'!
Did you compare pelvic points?
Do you have a male...I wonder if she's 'playing cockbird'....but still thinking she should be laying.

I looked and I can't see any difference between them, but (disclaimer) the pelvic point idea is new to me. I looked yesterday evening and decided that IDK what I'm looking at. I am going to really pester them all and look quite thoroughly this afternoon until I satisfy my curiosity over whether (#) there is no difference or (#) I just wasn't educated enough to see a difference. I pushed her around and there was no egg. Stupid hen. Yes I have a young cockerel (18-20 weeks?) but he's scared of her because she's really bossy and has been chasing him around since he was integrated.

 

[aart]

The point thing is done by feel rather than sight,
tho it's good to see the vent to find the points by feel.
It does take some practice.

How long has the cockerel been around in relation to her eggs stopping?

 

[Nardo]

The point thing is done by feel rather than sight, tho it's good to see the vent to find the points by feel.
It does take some practice.

How long has the cockerel been around in relation to her eggs stopping?

Lemme think, he's been here since maybe April. You may be on to something. She was looking scraggly around her neck before that and I noticed she was pulling her feathers/trying to go broody and I was able to stop that before it got too bad. Maybe it was that first and then the addition of the 3 new chicks.
I checked all of them yesterday and I just don't know what I'm looking for/feeling for. I put my fingers under the vent and tried to measure but. I think I need to see it done by someone while I'm there.
You can still see the quill nubs on her neck; they show in the picture. Her feather pulling was the reason I dusted them all because I looked her over good wondering if she had mites or something. I didn't see any but I treated anyway. But the others weren't showing signs of mites either.

 

[aart]

Lemme think, he's been here since maybe April. You may be on to something. She was looking scraggly around her neck before that and I noticed she was pulling her feathers/trying to go broody and I was able to stop that before it got too bad. Maybe it was that first and then the addition of the 3 new chicks.

So some major changes in your flock...could have thrown her for a loop. New info from first post, which stated 5 hens IIRC, a new cockerel and 3 chicks too(how old?)!

I checked all of them yesterday and I just don't know what I'm looking for/feeling for. I put my fingers under the vent and tried to measure but. I think I need to see it done by someone while I'm there.

In my article, the skeletal illustration show the pelvic bones as F-F, they are on either side of the vent...labeled in the info-graphic as 'pubic'.

Here's a vid that shows it pretty well on an older hen with a bare butt.

Probably the hardest part is getting the feathers out of the way to see the vent and go from there.