Rescued hen not laying

[Alicatk]

Hi all! About a month ago, I rescued a d’Uccle Mille Fleurs hen that had somehow gotten into a neighbors back orchard. She looks fairly young, certainly not too old to lay, but she has yet to lay any eggs. Does anyone more familiar with the breed have any tips on encouraging laying?

 

[blissfulbirds]

The best way to encourage laying is by providing the right feed, clean water and clean comfortable laying boxes. She will lay when she is ready or able, she might still be adjusting to the move. Best of luck!

 

[Sonya9]

Bantams don't lay that frequently, they were bred for show/pets not egg production.

Beauty, brains and personality is her thing plus she may go broody for you one of these days, then you can have her raise chicks for you in the flock.

You do have other chickens, right? Or is she the only one.

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

A common misconception is that you can just encourage laying, that’s not how it works. When they start laying depends on the genetics, the breed, the gender ( girls lay, boys dont), the strain, the quality, and so much more. You can only prevent laying, not the other way around.
She should be feed a start/grower, or an all flock type feed if she isn’t laying, and she looks relatively young to me.

 

[Alicatk]

A common misconception is that you can just encourage laying, that’s not how it works. When they start laying depends on the genetics, the breed, the gender ( girls lay, boys dont), the strain, the quality, and so much more. You can only prevent laying, not the other way around.
She should be feed a start/grower, or an all flock type feed if she isn’t laying, and she looks relatively young to me.

Thanks for the info! I thought she would be of laying age since she squats when I come up to her, but looking again at her comb, I think you may be right that she’s just too young! I’ll move her in with my chicks, which are all standard but about her size right now, so she can go on starter feed.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Frankly I don't trust that whole squatting thing. Mine hardly ever squat before they lay. All of a sudden I'm just getting flighty birds and eggs

 

[getaclue]

Going by comb color, and a few other things, she looks like she may be too young to lay. She should be on a flockraiser type feed, for now. Give it time.