pale combs, not laying yet...

[cmhudson33]

Hello! We purchased some hens from a farm about 5-6 weeks ago. The hens were all supposed to be laying already. When we got them here, I assumed there would be an adjustment phase, but one of the hens started laying in about 2 days. The other two, however, have not laid once yet. They were all supposed to be in the 5-6 month old range. And they all look similar in size. The egg layer seems a tad bit bigger.

There were some feathers strewn around in the first couple of weeks, not a full on molt I don't think... and no one lost a noticeable amount of feathers.

I am feeding them organic layer feed, water with apple cider vinegar, scraps now and then, oyster shells free choice, and they free range in the yard usually several hours a day.

Any thoughts on why they aren't laying? A couple of them seem to have paler combs and they all seem kinda thin, not sickly, but just not gaining and maybe seem a tad thinner than when I got them?

 

[Granny Hatchet]

on your last picture, is it the one on the end laying? i am sure their not but somehow to me they look like a different breed and they may be too young to lay. the combs "red up" when they start to lay. other then what your doing maybe a worming would be in order? and is it good to give them acv all the time ? just asking, i dont know.

 

[chooks4life]

X2^.

The ACV is fine, but they should have a separate water source as well because clean fresh water is a health aid in itself.

What breed are they? They look mixed to me, possibly younger than you were told, not old enough to lay, and perhaps with meat bird genetics mixed in. The one on the far right, in the last pic, is a funny looking one, I thought it might have some Cornish in it or one of those other meat birds...

If the diet you've put them onto was significantly better than the one they were raised on, it can slow laying up a bit as they replace inferior cells with better ones. Adding better nutrients to the diet can provoke a detox and cell replacement program in them.

Best wishes.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

did you see the legs in the middle pic?

 

[cmhudson33]

Backyard Brown Pullets (White Rock / Rhode Island Red Cross)


this is what they are supposed to be.

 

[cmhudson33]

Backyard Brown Pullets (White Rock / Rhode Island Red Cross)

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Our most popular bird, we believe these chickens are termed, Sex-Link, Red Star, Golden Comets, Bovans Brown and a host of other names in the industry. They are the best dual purpose brown egg layers we have ever come across. They lay consistently through the winter months making this a better year round layer of large brown eggs than any pure breed we know of.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

you have a good looking flock. i wouldnt worry too much about it yet. they do look young.

 

[chooks4life]

did you see the legs in the middle pic?

Yes, but if I'm not incorrect that middle bird is the same one in the bottom pic that both you and I commented on, so the extra large leg in the middle pic is just camera blur... Still, it's a very chunky bird.

Backyard Brown Pullets (White Rock / Rhode Island Red Cross)

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​

Our most popular bird, we believe these chickens are termed, Sex-Link, Red Star, Golden Comets, Bovans Brown and a host of other names in the industry. They are the best dual purpose brown egg layers we have ever come across. They lay consistently through the winter months making this a better year round layer of large brown eggs than any pure breed we know of.

Hmm... Looks to me like something else got into the genetics down the track somewhere... I'm fairly familiar with this hybrid but some of yours look a fair bit different. But, that said, hatcheries have a wide variation in purebred's appearances, while still being purebreds or hybrids of purebreds, and they look like they should be good layers.

Just a little young still, I think there may have been an error when they told you what age they are. Or maybe these ones develop slower than the ones I'm more familiar with. Either way, as granny hatchet said, they're looking good and should soon be laying. Some look like they've got another month or two to go.

Best wishes.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

you are right chooks, ol granny needs some bifocals. i didnt see the blur