Laying and Dominance question

[nakstk]

I have 4 pullets that I think are all laying. I get 2 or 3 eggs every day. 3 days in the month of Jan I only got 1 egg. I am not sure if all of them are laying though I was thinking if they all are laying shouldn't I get 4 eggs? I don't expect 4 eggs every day but just once would be great.

I have a 5th pullet that has been in the house since the middle of Dec. She had an impacted crop then sour crop. I got her all well and and am slowly trying to re introduce her back into the flock. In the mornings I put her in her own little run that it connected to the main run but because we don't have another coop I have been bringing her back in. She has a dog crate she stays in but it is so windy, rainy and cold right now that I don't want to risk leaving her out there.

So this brings us to part 2 of my question. When I put the other pullet out there in the other run the flock freaks out for a little while then they settle down. Well all but one, one paces in front of the little run. I think she is the dominant one. She pulls the others combs when they "talk" to the sick pullet. A friend told me that she (the dominant hen) probably is not laying. Could this be why I don't get the 4th egg?


By the way my pullets hatched July 14~ish and the one I think is dominant her comb is not and full and large as the others but it is just as red.

 

[bobbieschicks]

It's not uncommon for pullets to skip days if they are new layers and not production layers. Even if they are production, I wouldn't expect an egg every day from all of them. What breeds are they?

As far as the dominant pullet - sounds like she's trying to make sure she stays at the top of the pecking order. My head pullet is a White Leghorn and she will peck the other girls when the rooster is mating them - just to remind them who is the leader. Sort of seems cruel to me - but I guess she has her reasons. They will settle down once you put them all together and they get a chance to reestablish their pecking order. Moving the pullet in and out probably upsets some of them because they don't know where they stand with her around. If you've done the side-by-side thing for awhile it may just be time to reintroduce her permenantly. You could sneak her in after everyone is asleep and put her on the roost. Then in the morning keep an eye on what happens.

 

[nakstk]

They are Speckled Sussex.

 

[bobbieschicks]

I don't believe SS are production layers. So I would think getting 3 eggs daily out of 5 layers would be a good average. Did you try merging them yet?