Hens not laying

[Katbird01]

I have 4 BO hens. They are around 38 weeks (an estimate, I was told they hatched in February). One hen started laying at 34 weeks and has been consistent ever since. Not a thing from the other 3. One has gotten large, just as big as the layer, and her comb is nice and red and growing. It's close to the same size as the layer but still nothing from her. The other two are smaller and still don't have the red comb. Are they just slow developers? Is there some point where I give up on getting eggs from them? I've threatened the stew pot, I've tried reasoning, I've bribed, but still nothing from the other three. Any ideas?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

When did you purchase them? When you got them, did their appearance match the age they should have been at that point? Do you have photos of them at purchase- this may help us get an idea of how accurate the estimated age and reported hatch date might be.

 

[Happy Chooks]

It sounds like they are slower to develop. Each pullet is an individual and matures at a different rate. With decreasing daylight, it can take them longer to start up.

 

[Katbird01]

Hubby got them from a cousin that was getting out of the business. She told us they were born in February and should start laying by the end of August. We got our first egg the end of September. One of them was much smaller than the others (the one on the far right in the first picture).

This was taken when we got them in July



This was taken in September

 

[Katbird01]

It sounds like they are slower to develop. Each pullet is an individual and matures at a different rate. With decreasing daylight, it can take them longer to start up.

Yeah, I was wondering about the daylight. I don't know much about chickens, this is my first time raising them, but read that BO's were good layers year round. I didn't know if the daylight length would influence them as much as other breeds.