29-week old Welsummer has not begun laying

[SusiesPeeps]

My 29-week-old Welsummer, whom we raised from 2 weeks post-hatch, has not begun laying. I'm concerned because I've read Welsummers typically lay at about 20 weeks. She is eating, foraging, pooping normally. She was one of 4 chicks we began raising in a brooder - the other 3 (Wyandotte, Buff Orpington, and Cinnamon Queen) are all laying. After a 2-month struggle, they are now all integrated with our older flock of 3 hens (4 1/2 years old) of Barred Rock, Jersey Giant, and Cinnamon Queen. They are all finally getting along, but the Welsummer remains extremely skittish. I have started to work at "catching" her every day and hold her for about 10 minutes. She calms down as soon as I have her in my arms and sits quietly with me until I put her down. She seems to be at the bottom of the pecking order. I'm not sure if this could be why she is still not laying. We have a lovely newly built coop with 2 large runs, 3 nest boxes, and multiple roosts and logs for vertical space as well. The chickens get mostly organic feed and enjoy some free range time with our supervision about 1-2 hours per day. Has anyone experienced this with their Welsummers in particular?

 

[sourland]

As prey animals many birds dislike being caught and held. Doing this daily is stressing her and may be delaying the onset of production, or she may just be a late maturing pullet.

 

[aart]

She might just be a dud.....or not laying as dark an egg as you'd hoped?
Always good to do a butt check to remove any doubt that she is laying.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you're in the northern hemisphere, she's coming into lay as daylight hours are decreasing, which can delay onset of laying.

I only have one Welsummer but she definitely started laying well after 20 weeks, probably more like 26-27 weeks, as she also came to POL during winter.

 

[SusiesPeeps]

As prey animals many birds dislike being caught and held. Doing this daily is stressing her and may be delaying the onset of production, or she may just be a late maturing pullet.

Thanks for the feedback. Actually, I just started trying to hold her over the last several days to see if she was uncomfortable with me or just the other chickens. She doesn't struggle at all once I have her. My sense is she's, as you say, a late maturing pullet, but also, one who's the bottom of the pecking order of a flock that had a hard time integrating.

 

[SusiesPeeps]

She might just be a dud.....or not laying as dark an egg as you'd hoped?
Always good to do a butt check to remove any doubt that she is laying.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

Thanks for that idea. I think I'll try to do that tomorrow. The link is much appreciated!

 

[SusiesPeeps]

If you're in the northern hemisphere, she's coming into lay as daylight hours are decreasing, which can delay onset of laying.

I only have one Welsummer but she definitely started laying well after 20 weeks, probably more like 26-27 weeks, as she also came to POL during winter.

Ah! Thanks! Yes, that fits. I guess in researching this I've read several articles by people who say they've raised many Welsummers and find them to be the least skittish of all the breeds and also early layers. Appreciate your perspective.