Questions On Egg Laying and Molting.

[deb1]

Some of these questions are going to sound stupid.

I bought three hens from my neighbor. He got the hens at auction. When he gave them to us, he said that he was told that they were molting. Except for one of the birds, their feathering looked all right to me. One of the birds had a bare area above her tail feathers that I assume was from being a rooster's favorite.

Anyway, we have had them for a few days and still no eggs.

They are smallish Buff Orpingtons. Not as large or fat as the BO we kept in Iowa.

We only have three hens but I don't want to feed non egg producers.

I have no idea how old these birds are. Its been about five years since I owned adult chickens.

I thought that birds molted during the fall, not in the summer.

Should I give these birds more time? I think that my neighbor would take them back.

Additional information. Their combs are not as red as my rooster, Hagrid. I have no idea if this means anything or not. Hagrid is not a year old yet. I'd say that their combs are more pink then red. Does comb color have anything to do with their overall health?

They are docile and get along well with Hagrid. So, I would like to keep them if they are going to eventually lay eggs. But I can't afford to keep the girls as just pets.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Here is a site that describes molting. It may help you tell if they are truly still in a molt. It can take from 1 to 4 months to complete a molt. A lot of things can cause a molt. The most common is the length of light they see, but stress can cause it. Even going without water for a while can start a molt.

Mississippi State describes molting
http://msucares.com/poultry/management/poultry_feathers.html

Hens will stop laying when they are stressed. Moving to a new location can cause stress. It can sometimes take a couple of weeks for them to get comfortable in a new place.

This is just my personal opinion, but I think the size of Orpingtons can vary a lot depending on the strain or line of the chicken. I've seen charts and databases that give anywhere from 6-1/2 pounds to 8-1/2 pounds for the size of a fully grown Orpingtom hen.

I do not know how to tell the age of a hen.

I'll give you another two links that talk about how to tell if a hen is laying. If they are in a molt this may not help you, but it may.

Pigment Color – Signs of Laying
http://msucares.com/poultry/management/culling.html#id

Evaluating Egg Production
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/livestocksystems/DI1182.html

Good luck!

 

[deb1]

Thank you very much. I will give the new ladies some time. They seem to get along well with our rooster. Infact, it might break poor Hagrid's heart to loose his new girlfriends. LOL