Welsummer STILL hasn't laid at 30 weeks

[mamahenAtlanta]

The rest of the flock has been laying a while. She's the hold out. What is wrong with her? Healthy, happy, talkative.... she just hasn't laid. She's in the middle of pecking order

 

[Outpost JWB]

The rest of the flock has been laying a while. She's the hold out. What is wrong with her? Healthy, happy, talkative.... she just hasn't laid. She's in the middle of pecking order

Are the rest of your flock also Welsummers? Is she demonstrating any of the laying signs? Squatting, becoming comfortable with the nest boxes?

 

[aart]

Welsummer often are later layers. Where did you get her from?

 

[donrae]

Do you have a pic of her? How do you know she's not laying? Have you separated her to see if she's simply laying a regular brown egg?

 

[mamahenAtlanta]

She's my only welsummer -- others of various breeds are laying now. All different color eggs so I know she's the holdout. Now at almost 31 weeks. She definitely squats and has had very red face and comb for a long time. Here's a pic of her (several weeks ago) I guess she's just a late bloomer. She was an odd one from the beginning, but fast becoming one of my faves. She talks to me a lot and is much friendlier than she was as a baby, and so pretty!

 

[pdirt]

I've read so many of these "why isn't my chicken laying yet" posts and there is rarely a consensus if the bird appears healthy. If illness is an issue, it seems easier to track down. So many factors to consider and breed isn't always predictable. By most accounts I've read, 31 weeks isn't a point to be concerned yet. But I'd say if she hasn't laid by 52 weeks, then she probably has a reproductive issue, perhaps a deformity.

 

[donrae]

My thought is to separate her to see if she's simply laying a regular brown egg.

 

[aart]

You could check her pelvic points.

2 bony points on either side of vent:
Less than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means not laying.
More than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means laying.

 

[pdirt]

You could check her pelvic points.

2 bony points on either side of vent:
Less than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means not laying.
More than 2 fingertip widths apart usually means laying.

Interesting tip!

Does this only apply to birds that have never laid an egg? What I mean is, if a hen goes into a molt, will her bones retract to less than 2 fingertips width? Or is it once she's laid her first egg, things are stretched out for the rest of her life?

 

[aart]

Quote: From my short experience, checking points on a pullet that went into molt last fall at 9 months old (after laying for 3 months) who has now come back into lay, yes it applies. Her points narrowed during molt then spread back out as she came back into lay.