The Saga of Daria: When will she heckin’ lay?!

[cluckingheck]

I've had a similar situation, so have been reading with interest . . . now that Daria has finally laid an egg, when will Mabel lay one? She's an EE/Americana and she's about 46 weeks/11.5 months old and no egg! She was hatched towards the end of March 2020, and I got her in mid-September 2020. She shows no sign of laying (I don't know how to do a pelvic exam), but has never even glanced at the nesting boxes. Her comb looks pretty pale to me.

She did have an accident and broke off part of her top beak, but it's been growing back and she seems to eat just fine. So I'm not sure if this could be part of the problem, but 11.5 months seems very slow for a first egg. Unless she's laying a brown one? Because that's the only color of eggs that I'm getting.
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It’s really hard to tell. She might be holding off until the days are get even longer. Each chicken is different. You could separate her out in her own little area for a week or so if you really want to be sure she’s not laying yet.

Otherwise, here’s an article to vent checking. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

Daria’s pelvic bones widened out about 2-3 weeks before she even started laying. Roosters mounted her around the same time and she started digging around in the nesting box about 3-4 days before she laid. You could also set up a camera in the coop — if possible — to see who is actually going in and out of the nest(s)

 

[Sally PB]

Yay Daria!

 

[cluckingheck]

Yay Daria!

She certainly took her sweet time!! You should’ve seen the hole she dug out in the wood chips lol. She was almost to the bottom of the nesting box when she laid

 

[cluckingheck]

it seems like it would’ve been best if she never started laying. She’s been internally laying from practically day one and the only relief has been from molting/winter. Trying to lance isn’t helping and I think it’s time to put her down.