Late Blooming Pullets

[skullgrrrl]

I have 5 pullets that were born at the end of March/beginning of April.

One is a purebred Polish, two are Barnevelder x (sisters) and two are EE (sisters). Only two (one sister of each set) have started laying - about 6 wks ago. These girls are now 31-32 wks old and haven't laid. I know the days are getting shorter but I've had pullets lay their first eggs at Christmas. There are not under lights and I'm not interested in doing that.

Why would only one of the sisters start laying so much earlier than the other?

 

[Majd]

Same here! Don't worry I guess it's due to the colder shorter days... But they'll get their soon

 

[aart]

Are you sure they are full sisters?
If they are hatchery birds they could have different parents and thus different genetics.

Do you free range?
Might the others be laying out in the range area?



Signs of onset of lay---I've found the pelvic points to be the most accurate.
Squatting:
If you touch their back they will hunker down on the ground, then shake their tail feathers when they get back up.
This shows they are sexually mature and egg laying is close at hand.

Combs and Wattles:
Plump, shiny red - usually means laying.
Shriveled, dryish looking and pale - usually means not laying.
Tho I have found that the combs and wattles can look full and red one minute then pale back out the next due to exertion or excitement, can drive ya nuts when waiting for a pullet to lay!

2 bony points(pelvic bones) on either side of vent:
Less than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means not laying.
More than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means laying.

 

[skullgrrrl]

thanks for the response.

i know they are half sisters - the barnevelder x have the same father (one's mother is pb delaware and the other ameraucana-barvelder x). i believe the EE are half sisters as well. even with different genetics that are now 7+ months old. most of my heritage pullets starting laying between 6 - 6.5 months old.

they have an 8'x13' coop with 5 nestboxes, housed within a 900 sq ft fenced yard. the only other place they could be laying is in an open tool shed (within the pen) and i check that daily (some pullets start off laying there).

 

[majortaylor]

I'm having the same problem with my Polish lady. She is around 10-11 months old and has laid one 'fairy' egg a few months back and nothing since!
On top of that, my barred rock just stopped laying a month ago so we are out of eggs.

 

[aart]

So different mothers and mixes in the background to boot....ya just never know when/how genetics will play out.

Do they all have bright red combs and spread pelvic points?
If so, lock them all in the coop for a solid 24/7 week just to be absolutely sure they are not hiding eggs.
I've read some incredible stories about where copious amounts of eggs were found when folks swore they weren't hiding them.

Other than that, they may just not be ready or are not low winter light layers.