Sebright not laying???

[KristinMarie88]

I have a one year old sebright that hasn't laid in weeks. I free range all day so I've been looking in the yard with no luck. I even heard her doing the egg song & I didn't find any egg. She goes in the nesting boxes all the time. Does this breed tend not to lay as much??? New to chickens so I'm still learning. Thanks so much

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They are not big layers, are you sure she's not going broody, now that bantams are known for.

 

[KristinMarie88]

quote name="oldhenlikesdogs" url="/t/1016040/sebright-not-laying#post_15746206"]They are not big layers, are you sure she's not going broody, now that bantams are known for.[/quote]
I didn't even think of that. She has been hanging in the nest box a lot. How long do they stay broody? I have two roosters but they're very young. Only 4 months.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My banties spend half the year broody, going in and out of it, they are wonderful incubators and mommies. They will lay around 10-12 eggs than go broody, they are more like feral chickens that way, laying mostly for reproduction. She's really pretty.

 

[KristinMarie88]

Thank you! I would love to make her a mommy. As soon as my roosters are old enough to do their job.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

your little roosters should be getting there pretty quick, within the next month, are they sebrights as well.

 

[KristinMarie88]

No they are a lot bigger. Ones a Black Sex link I think and the other I'm not to sure. Will they hurt her??

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[oldhenlikesdogs]

Yeah that might not be a good idea, they could hurt her, they are much bigger than her, I personally wouldn't, sorry she needs a little fellow.

 

[KristinMarie88]

I'm so new at all this. So much to learn lol. Should I always keep her separate so they can't get to her or just when they are locked up and not free ranging? Maybe rehoming her would be best

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You could certainly wait an see, my large roosters ignore the bantam hens for the most part, though my roosters have large hens, as long as she can get away from them I would wait and see, is she your only hen, they may ignore her, I learned everything by trying, seeing what has worked for me over the years, sometimes I get it right, sometimes not. That seems to be the way chicken keeping goes, having to make decisions, even though you don't know if it's right or not.

As long as she isn't penned with them without an escape she may do fine, but if they look to try mating her rehoming, or her own pen may be best.