Pullet/hen never laying?..

[DemeterAD9]

I have a 1.5yr old frizzle hen I hatched from shipped eggs. She has never laid and while the boys did have an interest in her at one point they don't seem all that interested anymore. She has spurs that I only just recently noticed and they are quite small still. I don't need a freeloader hen but she was technically my very first chicken and she makes up for everything she lacks in personality and entertainment. For a while she was my little freak of nature when the boys broke off a lot of her already fragile feathers but now that she's got her feathers back she's more of a black fuzz ball again.

During and after molting, still has some head and tail feathers to grow.

I do agree with the others, if you don't like her all that much then culling isn't a bad idea. The least she could do is provide a few meals that way.

 

[sniper338]

Does she free range any? Or, is there anyway that she could hide a nest?

They do free range some. But even locked up she dont lay. There isnt that good of hiding places where they free range that I wouldn't have found it by now.

 

[sniper338]

Just curious, why don't you like her?
I understand her not laying being frustrating. Chances are, she is naturally infertile, however this usually causes a significant estrogen dip and she'd show signs of more testosterone than estrogen, like growing sickles or spurs. Is there sign of this?
If you both don't like her and she's a freeloader, maybe freezer camp is waiting for her.

She has small spurs.. first hen I've had that has small spurs. Its uncommon but can happen.

 

[Ridgerunner]

All chickens have spur buds. Some hens grow spurs. To me, that does not mean anything. Some of my better producers have had noticeable spurs.

Is it possible to have hens that just dont want to lay at all...

Yes, for different reasons some just do not lay at all. They are living animals, you do not get guarantees.

I've had some not lay until they were nine months old but when they finally started they laid pretty well. If they had not been my only green egg layers I'd have eaten them long before they started.
I don't know what will happen with that specific hen. You just do not get guarantees. Unless you have a special reason you want to keep her, I'd move on. But that is your choice. There are too many good hens out there to keep a bad one.

 

[sniper338]

Here's the hens in question

 

[sniper338]

All chickens have spur buds. Some hens grow spurs. To me, that does not mean anything. Some of my better producers have had noticeable spurs.


Yes, for different reasons some just do not lay at all. They are living animals, you do not get guarantees.

I've had some not lay until they were nine months old but when they finally started they laid pretty well. If they had not been my only green egg layers I'd have eaten them long before they started.
I don't know what will happen with that specific hen. You just do not get guarantees. Unless you have a special reason you want to keep her, I'd move on. But that is your choice. There are too many good hens out there to keep a bad one.

Agree...