no eggs= Cull?

[cms1113]

I read that if a chicken is of laying age (like 22 months?) and they don't start laying by april you should cull them. Is that how you guys do it? I threatened to give my red stars away because they haven't laid anything but i don't think i actually will unless, i decide i need more room for my seramas.

 

[debilorrah]

NO NO NO NO! You have to give them at least a year. Some chickens don't start laying until 8, 9 or 10 months!!! I am considering culling one of my adult that hasn't layed since the end of October, but I am waiting until the end of April to decide.

Give the lil girls some time.

 

[speckledhen]

22 months? You mean weeks, right? Not all hens lay that early. I have one who didnt lay till 45 weeks old, but usually the hybrid layers like you have lay earlier. You have not really given them a chance if they are just 22 weeks old. If you dont want them, put them on Craigslist or Freecycle.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
I didn't even notice OP said months, I assumed weeks.

 

[cms1113]

Quote:
LOL yes i meant weeks. Im pretty sure mine are a bit older then that, i was just saying the latest average laying age i've read. I already said i wasn't giving them away unless they aren't laying AND i need the space. I was merely asking if thats what real breeders do.

 

[PurpleChicken]

22 weeks is still young plus the days are still short. Post again if they
are not laying by June.

Mine aren't laying right now either and they are a mix of 1 to 2 year olds.
The weather that goes from freezing to warm to freezing messes them up.

 

[cms1113]

Do their vents always swell up when laying? The vents of my red stars look like the vent of my now laying serama but they have yet to lay anything. But they do look moister then they were when it was colder. I was going by what i seen on this website:

http://www.albc-usa.org/documents/ALBCchicken_assessment-2.pdf

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
You just took all the romance out of it for me.

Sorry, I've just never analyzed it that deeply. I just yell at my hens
for not laying. They don't listen but I feel better.


Hopefully one of the medical type members will chime in on this thread.

 

[Emzyyy]

Quote:
You should ask the woman who's hen was just killed if she wants one she needs a adult hen for her surviving hen so it won't be lonley.

 

[gritsar]

OMG! So I was suppose to cull my two 38 week old chickens when they still weren't laying??

She'll make it up to you in time, I promise.