What breed and age are these chickens?

[ElaynasChick]

It very well could be... My kneejerk reaction was sexlink because of the overall body shape and colour. I suppose you could still get that from a barnyard mix too. As for laying, her legs are quite yellow... Typically, they lose the yellow pigment into the eggs, so possibly been off the lay for a while or not a good layer? (Or is a pullet Pol)

I can understand on personality though and give her at least a month with no change to settle in and see how she does with laying.

What is a pulley pol? It appears she is coming out of a molt right now if you look close you can see the new feathers coming in so I don’t expect her to lay too soon. I think tomorrow I’ll check her pelvic bones too see if she has maybe not even started laying yet, the pelvic spacing was a really good indicator for when my hens started laying as well as squatting which she isn’t doing yet.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

What is a pulley pol? It appears she is coming out of a molt right now if you look close you can see the new feathers coming in so I don’t expect her to lay too soon. I think tomorrow I’ll check her pelvic bones too see if she has maybe not even started laying yet, the pelvic spacing was a really good indicator for when my hens started laying as well as squatting which she isn’t doing yet.

POL = Point Of Lay

 

[ElaynasChick]

POL = Point Of Lay

Thank you!

 

[NatJ]

If she is older and already past her prime egg laying, would her vent be as small as it is? comparing her vet to my laying leghorn it is a bit smaller for her size, also she isn't doing the squatting thing that my other laying hens do.

The vent gets bigger when they lay, and shrinks again when they stop laying (molting or broody or any other reason.)

I think tomorrow I’ll check her pelvic bones too see if she has maybe not even started laying yet, the pelvic spacing was a really good indicator for when my hens started laying as well as squatting which she isn’t doing yet.

The pelvic bones also move back and forth, when a hen is laying or not. So it can tell you whether she is laying now, but it can not tell you whether she has ever laid in the past.

It appears she is coming out of a molt right now if you look close you can see the new feathers coming in so I don’t expect her to lay too soon.

I agree. Chickens typically don't lay eggs when they are molting. I don't know whether this would be the last molt as she grows up (because chicks molt several times as they grow), or it if means she's an older hen that is molting because it is fall.

 

[ElaynasChick]

The vent gets bigger when they lay, and shrinks again when they stop laying (molting or broody or any other reason.)



The pelvic bones also move back and forth, when a hen is laying or not. So it can tell you whether she is laying now, but it can not tell you whether she has ever laid in the past.


I agree. Chickens typically don't lay eggs when they are molting. I don't know whether this would be the last molt as she grows up (because chicks molt several times as they grow), or it if means she's an older hen that is molting because it is fall.

Great info! What about squatting behavior? Do they ever stop that?

 

[NatJ]

What about squatting behavior? Do they ever stop that?

I don't know for sure, because I've never paid much attention to squatting.

Some people find squatting a useful predictor of when pullets are almost ready to lay. But I've seen a young pullet squat, and even a cockerel, so I no longer pay much attention to who squats when. (The pullet was less than one month old, but didn't start laying until about 5 months. And the cockerel grew into a gorgeous rooster who sired several chicks, so no chance of mistake on the gender.)

 

[Lizzy733]

Squatting is a breeding behavior, but also a submissive behavior. They won't generally squat for you if they are skittish and keep their distance. If they're friendly and sociable, you'll typically find they'll squat for you and that generally means they'll begin laying sometime in the next week or so.