Is it possible for a pullet to NEVER lay an egg?

[bobbieschicks]

I thought I would follow up on this since sometimes I find really old posts that are relevant to my current situation - but there's nothing telling the outcome.

Here's the outcome with my pullet AC - she finally laid her first egg on 8/23/12 at 55 weeks old! She laid a few days then took a few days off. Finally she's started laying a pattern of about 5 days in a row and taking a day off. She's doing better then my Lavender Orpingtons in terms of consistency.

So I don't know if it's possible for a pullet to NEVER lay as mine finally did.

 

[wannechicknmama]

Thanks for the update! I have a New Hampshire Red who is just over ten months and has never laid. I keep a close watch on my two hens and two pullets, and their nesting box, so I know who lays and when. She is at the bottom of the pecking order and she had a traumatic event of getting tied up in fly paper when she was about 4 months old

(Luckily I was home when it happened and I heard her scream. I was able to untangle her right away, without pulling out more than a few feathers - I learned my lesson about fly paper). Anyway, she has never laid, I thought maybe she was a late bloomer, but at ten months, I was really starting to worry! But not what I see your hen took 55 weeks, I think I will wait patiently for her to late bloom after all. So thanks for keeping us informed with the outcome!

- Wendy

 

[DLS]

If my gals start getting to old & it looks like there will be no eggs from her = chicken & noodles. NEXT!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Thanks for the update! I have a New Hampshire Red who is just over ten months and has never laid.  I keep a close watch on my two hens and two pullets, and their nesting box, so I know who lays and when.  She is at the bottom of the pecking order and she had a traumatic event of getting tied up in fly paper when she was about 4 months old  (Luckily I was home when it happened and I heard her scream.  I was able to untangle her right away, without pulling out more than a few feathers - I learned my lesson about fly paper).  Anyway, she has never laid, I thought maybe she was a late bloomer, but at ten months, I was really starting to worry!  But not what I see your hen took 55 weeks, I think I will wait patiently for her to late bloom after all.  So thanks for keeping us informed with the outcome!

- Wendy

You are welcome. I do pray your girl starts sooner than a year, but sometimes they take their own sweet time to start. She has been a very good layer since finally starting. I get a white egg from her most days which is good because my other white egg layer has molted and not started back up.

 

[wannechicknmama]

Patience is the key! Lil' Tammy laid her first egg today! She is somewhere between ten and eleven months old. So indeed, be patient, my friends, and give your late bloomers some time!

- Wendy

 

[RWise]

I have one that is over a year old and still peeping, no egg no signs, has not grown in 6 months, the rooster thinks she is holding out. She is a member of the chicken and dumping gang at this point. I have a number of older hens that also have until march 1 to give up an egg!

 

[feathersnuggles]

Thanks Bobbieschicks and Wendy for your updates! I have a 38 week old Buff Orp, she's a small size pullet - smaller than my two other buff orp pullets who have been laying since 26 and 28 weeks age. Anyway she finally laid her first tiny egg nearly 3 weeks ago - but since then there have been no more eggs from her. The other buffs are laying nearly every day. She seems as healthy as the rest, red comb, occasionally squats, eats well, forages, etc. She's low on the pecking order, but she's feisty, none-the-less.

I'm so glad your hens finally laid. Knowing that just puts my mind at ease about "Lemon Drop". I'll stop worrying now.

 

[bobbieschicks]

One thing I've learnt about chickens is that while they have similarities they are individuals and will do what they'll do. Lol.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They are not machines.
Common sense rules.

 

[RWise]

Could it be she has hidden her nest? My "Tiny" pullet almost 10 months old hid her nest, of course I found it (in my fire pit) but after laying only 4 weeks she is now setting. (I did make sure she has good eggs)