UPDATE: SHE IS SICK!! SUGGESTIONS? UPDATE: Is there a chance a production breed will never produce an egg? see pics of our girl

[WingItRanch]

The idea is to make sure they know that the coop is the safe place. Basically you'd be re-training them. Plus... I know you said you checked for hidden nests everywhere, they can be VERY sneaky. For all you know, they could be laying and eating the eggs. Having them "locked up" for a few days would be a good test. I don't think chickens can "hold it" so I wouldn't worry about that.

As for your entertainment, I feel you! I can't free range my group because of the massive amounts of predators but sometimes I bring a chair over and watch them in their coop/run.

 

[Bawkbok]

Ok, I understand.
So now I have a really stupid question. If she is by chance laying an egg and it's a hard shell, they're able to peck it open to eat the egg? If it's a soft shell and they consume it, would that get stuck somewhere or are they able to pass a soft shell? I warned you it was a stupid question.
And isn't there a chance they could do the same thing in the run?

 

[aart]

I'm assuming the suggestion to leave them locked in is to ensure she does not lay an egg somewhere in the yard? If doing so then she would not use the coop layer but "hold it" until she could lay in the yard during range time? I have no idea how chickens think.

No range time at all for at least a week.
They, and you, will get over it.

 

[DemeterAD9]

Ok, I understand.
So now I have a really stupid question. If she is by chance laying an egg and it's a hard shell, they're able to peck it open to eat the egg? If it's a soft shell and they consume it, would that get stuck somewhere or are they able to pass a soft shell? I warned you it was a stupid question.

They can certainly peck open an egg and eat the entire thing, shell and all. I think egg eating is a learned behavior, say if one accidentally breaks their egg and decides to have a taste then gets hooked on it. I've seen it in someone else's flock but so far mine have been good, even leaving alone 2 soft shelled eggs laid by a pullet on the roost. Might have been a different story if those eggs had broke open though.

If your pullet isn't even looking around for a place to lay eggs then she probably isn't laying yet. My pullets have been checking out the nest boxes, corners, under the deck and coop, everywhere really before they lay their egg. I notice they are often talking a lot while looking around too.

 

[Bawkbok]

No range time at all for at least a week.
They, and you, will get over it.

I'll consider it conditioning for a week away on vacation - if that were to ever happen.

 

[Bawkbok]

An update - we performed the pelvic check - based on the information provided by @WingItRanch, she definitely should be laying by now. Her vent is clean but is certainly more swollen (moreso on top than bottom), well lubricated and a little red, but doesn't look infected red if that makes sense. She is acting normally, eating and drinking, her poops look normal, her tail is up, she is active, jumps up and down on and from perches, she does not have any indications of being egg bound - referring to the information from BitchinChickens. Her health check was normal by all accounts. I checked in her mouth, all clear. She is a little hoarse today so not sure what that's all about. Her abdomen did feel a little hard to me and if there is an egg there, I don't know that I would feel it. She weighs 4.14 lbs and is 8 months old. She is eating Kalmbach layer feed and has free access to grit and oyster shells 24x7, although I never see her consuming any.
She seemed a little uncomfortable with my hand supporting her belly between her legs during the carry back to the roost. Acting normal today, certainly doesn't look like she is trying to lay an egg. Is still squatting like crazy. Gave her a Calcium Citrate with D3 just in case since I've read here it isn't detrimental. Should I be concerned at this point about a reproductive issue and are there specific signs that I need to watch for that could take her down quickly? I did not stick my finger in her vent to feel for an egg, but if I need to, please advise. Thanks

 

[WingItRanch]

I honestly don't think you should be concerned. 8 months old and no eggs for a golden comet is surprising but it sounds like she's just taking her time to mature.

Have you been keeping them in their coop/run area instead of free ranging. Just in case she's a sneaky layer.

I don't claim to be an expert so it wouldn't hurt for others to chime in!

 

[Bawkbok]

That might be why she has a hoarse voice - squawking to get out. They were super loud last night, my husband ran to check thinking something got in and they were being attacked as they were all "screaming" to use his word. I poked my head out - they were protesting in super loud fashion. I'm sure all the neighbors love us.

 

[FrostRanger]

That might be why she has a hoarse voice - squawking to get out. They were super loud last night, my husband ran to check thinking something got in and they were being attacked as they were all "screaming" to use his word. I poked my head out - they were protesting in super loud fashion. I'm sure all the neighbors love us.

Might there be a predator prowling around? If they're loud at night, something is disturbing them. Once chickens roost for the night, they generally stay put until morning unless something disturbed them. If you have a game camera or something, you could point it at the coop if this happens again

 

[Bawkbok]

Might there be a predator prowling around? If they're loud at night, something is disturbing them. Once chickens roost for the night, they generally stay put until morning unless something disturbed them. If you have a game camera or something, you could point it at the coop if this happens again

Actually they were vocal around 4:30PM, their usual time to get out and free range for a couple of hours until dusk. They were yelling "let me out"..... Chickens seem to learn quickly and have come to expect certain activities at certain times of the day. Wondering - can chickens "tell time" as canines do?

Our predators are squirrels and song birds. There are coyotes in the area but having a privacy fenced yard helps with that. There are also cats that roam around the perimeter every morning and night but they've since stopped coming in the yard, thanks to dog.