Non-egglayer

[debrabie]

I have a mixed breed hen. She is 10 months old, and has only laid one egg. It was green, and on my birthday, 2-13. She seems healthy, but she has always been near-sighted. Her comb has only recently turned red, so I think she is a late bloomer. She manages to keep up with the flock and she and my rooster are best friends. Is this a thing that happens, or can she be sick? Chickens are new to me. I never even have been around any until 10 months ago.

 

[Ariel301]

What are you feeding her? If she is missing something, she may not be able to lay. Increasing the protein in her diet could help. Also, a trick that seems to work pretty well for some people is to put some cayenne pepper in the feed. I put about 2 teaspoons in a couple of cups of scratch feed and gave it to mine. It may have been a coincidence, but I tried this trick on my hens after waiting months for eggs, and they started laying a few days after I started the pepper. Once they started laying, I quit giving it to them.

What is the weather like? She may be waiting for warm weather to start laying seriously if it is cold where you are. Egg laying is also dependent on light exposure...if she's not getting enough daylight, it will keep her from laying.

Some hens are late bloomers. If her comb has turned red, and she is doing the 'squat'--sort of flattening down to the ground with her wings spread a little-- around you or a rooster (or maybe another hen), she should be laying soon. Maybe the first one was a test run and she wasn't actually quite ready to start.

How do you know she is near-sighted?

 

[harrisville chicken]

I'm curious about the vision test for her too.

I've only been backyard chickening for a year, and I've learned that they all lay on their OWN schedule.

 

[debrabie]

I live in Portland Oregon and we have had a mild winter, and my other (four) 10 month old hens have been laying eggs everyday all winter. We have a light in the coop. They are fed an organic chicken layer food, and they free range. I have no weeds in my yard, or bugs, and the yokes are bright orange, so I guess that means they eat plenty of green grass. I give them meal worms and fruit/vegetables for treats. I really think she is just late to mature, but I don't have any experience to go by.

As for the vision test, when she and the others run up to me for treats, She smacks into my legs. Also, when I feed her meal worms, it takes many tries to actually get it. I guess that makes her far-sighted, not near-sighted. oops!

Thanks!

 

[debrabie]

My little gray hen laid her second egg on Easter and has been laying every 2 to 3 days ever since. I guess she was indeed a late bloomer!

 

[Charles07]

Thanks for the update. Many people fail to do so.

 

[feathersnuggles]

If she can't see as well as the others, she may not be getting as much food. THAT can definitely affect start of egg-laying and the frequency with which she lays.

I have a little hen that is lowest on the pecking order. Several times per week, I pick her up, bring her inside out of view of the other birds, and feed her a high-nutrition meal like mealworms, some layer crumbles mixed with scrambled eggs and yogurt, some meat or fish scraps, etc. Because she's less able to fend for herself at the feeder at times, these extra feedings help her keep up, nutritionally. And she lays 2 eggs every 3 days.

 

[Vanessabuffsnsilkies]

I've used the cayenne pepper several times and it does work.

Also have a late bloomer ee pullet that I thought had something wrong with her. Deaf or vision problems. She just stands away from the others and doesn't roost. She sleeps in the silkie pile. Today a baby bunny got into the pen and she dropped her wings and chased it out. So she can see...she's just a little off.

 

[ecowoman]

What is a "silkie pile"? That's a breed of chicken, right... Silkies?

 

[Vanessabuffsnsilkies]

I've used the cayenne pepper several times and it does work.

Also have a late bloomer ee pullet that I thought had something wrong with her. Deaf or vision problems. She just stands away from the others and doesn't roost. She sleeps in the silkie pile. Today a baby bunny got into the pen and she dropped her wings and chased it out. So she can see...she's just a little off.