UPDATE: SHE IS SICK!! SUGGESTIONS? UPDATE: Is there a chance a production breed will never produce an egg? see pics of our girl

[Bawkbok]

Hi All, We have a Golden Comet (at least that's what we paid for) - she is almost 8 months old. See pics below, taken a few days ago. She has been squatting for almost a month now. No egg. There is no chance of her laying one in the yard without my knowledge as I am out with them 100% of the time when they are free ranging. She acts normal, eats, drinks as normal, is very active and acts happy. I can't figure out why she is not yet laying. I've had a ceramic egg in the layer for months now. I just recently switched to layer feed - they are on Kalmbach 17%. They have always had free choice of grit and oyster shells. Treats are kept to a minimum, definitely less than 10% daily intake and some days none at all. She eats a ton of grass, weeds, and other stuff in the yard and covers a fair amount of ground so she is getting a variety. I check her vent every 2 weeks for health checks. Her eyes, ears, nares and vent are always clear and clean. Her crop is always empty in the morning and definitely full upon roosting. I don't understand why we have yet to see any eggs. I get that the days are getting shorter and temperatures are starting to cool at night, but shouldn't we have seen an egg by now? Unless she is not a Golden Comet, but I wouldn't know the difference. The only difference in behavior I see is that she sort of waddles while she walks or trots vs. flying across the yard to catch up to the younger pullets. I've yet to get a good weight on her but she doesn't feel over weight. This is our first year with chickens so I'm winging it as I go. What do you guys think?

 

[WingItRanch]

I'm winging it

Literally why my ranch is called Wing It Ranch! I'm always winging it.

Have you tried the butt check?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

 

[pennyJo1960]

Hi All, We have a Golden Comet (at least that's what we paid for) - she is almost 8 months old. See pics below, taken a few days ago. She has been squatting for almost a month now. No egg. There is no chance of her laying one in the yard without my knowledge as I am out with them 100% of the time when they are free ranging. She acts normal, eats, drinks as normal, is very active and acts happy. I can't figure out why she is not yet laying. I've had a ceramic egg in the layer for months now. I just recently switched to layer feed - they are on Kalmbach 17%. They have always had free choice of grit and oyster shells. Treats are kept to a minimum, definitely less than 10% daily intake and some days none at all. She eats a ton of grass, weeds, and other stuff in the yard and covers a fair amount of ground so she is getting a variety. I check her vent every 2 weeks for health checks. Her eyes, ears, nares and vent are always clear and clean. Her crop is always empty in the morning and definitely full upon roosting. I don't understand why we have yet to see any eggs. I get that the days are getting shorter and temperatures are starting to cool at night, but shouldn't we have seen an egg by now? Unless she is not a Golden Comet, but I wouldn't know the difference. The only difference in behavior I see is that she sort of waddles while she walks or trots vs. flying across the yard to catch up to the younger pullets. I've yet to get a good weight on her but she doesn't feel over weight. This is our first year with chickens so I'm winging it as I go. What do you guys think?

Have you looked might be there is a hidden nest !

 

[Bawkbok]

No hidden nest. We've been all over the yard with hurricane clean up and there are areas where they never go that would actually be a good place to lay.

 

[CoopBoots]

Did you raise her yourself from a chick, as to be certain of her age? Is anyone else in the flock laying currently?

 

[Bawkbok]

Literally why my ranch is called Wing It Ranch! I'm always winging it.

Have you tried the butt check?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

I've not seen this yet so thank you for the article. I will definitely check her pelvic points. I did notice that her vent looked a little larger and more moist than usual and my immediate thought was that an egg should be coming soon. This was three days ago. I did give her a Calcium Citrate with D3 just in case she needed an infusion of calcium to help with contractions. I don't know what egg binding looks like so I'm hoping it's not a reproductive issue.

 

[The Moonshiner]

She's definitely a she and I'd say definitely a golden comet (or red sex link at least)
No explanation for you though other then they say production hybrids often have reproduction issues. Maybe she's just broken from the start?
She looks really healthy and of good weight.

 

[Bawkbok]

Did you raise her yourself from a chick, as to be certain of her age? Is anyone else in the flock laying currently?

We acquired her at the end of May and were told she was 12 weeks old. Hatched 2/20 which makes her 8 months old. She came from a farm three hours north of us.

 

[Bawkbok]

Did you raise her yourself from a chick, as to be certain of her age? Is anyone else in the flock laying currently?

No one else is laying. The other pullets are 5-6 months old.

 

[Bawkbok]

She's definitely a she and I'd say definitely a golden comet (or red sex link at least)
No explanation for you though other then they say production hybrids often have reproduction issues. Maybe she's just broken from the start?
She looks really healthy and of good weight.

Well that would be about our beginners luck, Moonshiner. -- broken from the start. We've had some bad luck with birds from the start. She's a cool chicken actually with an endearing personality. I just wish she'd lay a darn egg.