Dud Hen?

[AnyaTotoro]

I have a dark Brahma hen that almost a year old (got her when she was 2-3 months old last May). However, she hasn’t started laying yet and wondering if she ever will? I read dark Brahmas take long time to mature and start laying (7-9 months maybe), which means she should have started laying this winter, but I was thinking the shorter hours of sun was affecting her and delaying her, but all my other hens are laying (True Whiting, Welsummer, Favorelle, Black Copper Maran, Ameraucana), including through the winter (I live in Austin, Texas).

My Brahma appears to healthy, nice feather coat, soft and fluffy butt, healthy appetite, etc. When I checked her vent the other week, it was still round (not changed to oval or wide slit yet to suggest she maturing for egg laying).

My hens are on a healthy diet of feed, free ranging in backyard, as well as snacks such as scratch, mealworms, variety of fruit and veggies, etc.

Will she ever mature and lay eggs? Could I have a dud hen that will never lay?

 

[sourland]

"Dud' hens happen, but my gut is that she will lay within the next 4 to 6 weeks.

 

[azygous]

Check her pelvic knobs on each side of her vent to see if she's near point of lay. If you can fit two fingers easily between them, you should soon see her first egg. She's still well within the time frame for a Brahma to start laying. She just needs to reach the right weight. She's gorgeous, by the way.

 

[nuthatched]

Brahmas are slow to mature, just be patient. :]

 

[AnyaTotoro]

Sounds good. I’ll continue to be patient.

Exciting news is my 5yo buff Orpington who hasn’t laid since last summer, just laid an egg!

 

[AnyaTotoro]

sorry for the delayed post, but fyi she started laying about week after this post! So thank you!