New Pullets this Spring - One not laying

[marthat]

My 6 new Red Sexlink pullets, purchased at 17 week, started laying about 3 weeks after I got them. They are consistantly giving me 5 lovely eggs a day. I seem to have one "problem child", a chicken who does not hang with the rest, does not drop when I approach, has a pale and underdeveloped comb. I am assuming that she is the non-producer. This has been going on for over 1 1/2 months now. And I notice her plucking at her sister's fanny feathers. This upsets me, as I've had bald flocks before and really don't want this to happen to my new girls.

Any ideas why this chicken is different from her flockmates? Is there anything I can do to encourage her to start laying? Is there hope that she will start laying? She gets all the same food, water, exercise, etc as her sisters...

 

[marlene]

I had the very same problem a few months ago with one of my pullets, except from the feather plucking which she did not do that.
Finally at about 34 weeks she started laying and now lays an egg most days. She now spends most of the time with the flock rather than on her own
Maybe she just needs a little longer to mature like my little lady.

 

[aart]

Sexlinks are a cross, she may be from a different cross even tho they all came together.

She may need a protein boost.
Or she may just be a little off inside and not assimilating nutrition properly.

Have you checked her pelvic points and vent?
Vent:
Dry, tight, and smaller - usually not laying.
Moist, wide, and larger - usually laying

Pelvic Points 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.