[Penny Finn]

I am not sure if this is normal or not!  One of my chickens, Jemima, is a very good layer.  Occasionally producing a giant egg (8cm long and 119grams in weight the last one!) For some reson she hasn't laid for 3 or 4 days now and I am wondering if I need to be worried.  I know they can get egg bound.  Might this be the case?  Would be grateful for some advice.  It could be, of course, that she is saving up to lay another giant job!
Thanks for help
Gardening Granny

[andreadon]

How is her behaviour generally?
If she's mopey and quiet, there's likely to be a problem, but if she's lively as normal, she could just be having a rest.

often if they've got a soft-shelled egg inside, as it's hard to push out they look poorly.

someone else will be along shortly with more help, but if you can put as much history of her behaviour etc in, then that'll be a great help!
 

[Penny Finn]

She isn't mopey but not quite as usual.  I wouldn't have thought that if I hadn't been a bit worried about the non-laying thing so it can't be too obvious!
Her tail is still up and her comb and she seems to be eating and drinking normally.  It is just that she is usually the bully and at the moment she isn't so she is obviously one degree under I think.

[satinshill]

Sorry to jump in on your thread but I wonder if anyone can tell me how long it should take 'point of lay chicken' to lay ? A friend and I both bought some point of lay chickens 7-8 weeks ago from the same place and they are still not laying ( we both think they seem happy and well cared for at our both of our houses). The kids ( and we ) are a bit bored of waiting ..

Another friend think we have been sold much younger birds as they seen small to her and don't have red combs as yet / Any experts out there  that could advise/
Thanks so much

[GrannieAnnie]

I hope your chicken feels better soon Penny!  there are lots of reasons they can get down n the dumps.  we've had one for several weeks who is a bit out of sorts.  She was just moping aruond in corners and she lost a lot of her feathers on her breast and rear end and stopped laying.

I've given them some poultry spice in their feed and apple cider vinegar, and although she still isn't laying, she is much brighter and her feathers are growing again.  Occasionally she will stand still and try to look sorry for herself, but put something nice in the run and she's jumps around as sprightly as the rest!

And Satinshill, any chance of a photo of your girls?  Some people do advertise their pullets as 'point of lay' from as little at 14 weeks just to get rid of them quickly, but I am always honest with my customers.  they all know the exact date their new girls were hatched.

what breeds are they?  We found that the Babockcs we had were the earliest layers.  Last summers flock started to lay at 17 weeks, and some of our last flock started at 18 weeks, but with the Amberlinks, all 3 flocks that we have had didn't start to lay until 22 weeks at their earliest, with most of them not laying until 26 weeks.

Pure breeds can be later in starting too I believe