Chick Marley/Scots Grey breed won't lay?

Hey all,
I have three 3 Chick Marley hens (also called Scots Grey or Shepherd Pied) hens and 1 CMxhybrid. All the same mum, but a sneaky rooster got in for the 4th. They're about 20 weeks old and as plucky as can be, ruling the garden left right and center. Killed all my pumpkins, dug up half the peas - so they're not suffering from any sort of lethargy.

They've not laid yet, which can be expected. The problem is, my mother-in-law (who has a farm) swears up and down that they will never ever lay. Ever. Not a laying breed. Into the soup pot.

Has anyone heard this? Internet says thye're dual-purpose but not broody, and the farmer I bought the chicks from never said they were non-laying (as he did for others I looked at). I chose them because they're cold hardy and independent, and won't need a lot of coddling.

Everyone keeps asking if they've laid yet, even the clerk in the shop. I've also had some comments that they don't "look like farm hens". This is a small farming community, so I don't want to approach the farmer saying he sold me duds unless I know for sure.

Next time your MIL tells you that, ask her since they were hatched from eggs, if they are a non-laying breed, where did the eggs come from?

There are a lot of stories out there, for example one I heard is that battery hens don't go broody. I've had 2 hatch eggs and they were wonderful mothers. Please post some pics of your first eggs so we can see

Are they really funny looking, as everyone says? I admit they're not as fat and fluffy as the hybrids across the road, but I put that down to age and exercise. They run around constantly from the moment they're let out in the morning.

sumi said:

Next time your MIL tells you that, ask her since they were hatched from eggs, if they are a non-laying breed, where did the eggs come from?

There are a lot of stories out there, for example one I heard is that battery hens don't go broody. I've had 2 hatch eggs and they were wonderful mothers. Please post some pics of your first eggs so we can see

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Exactly - if any breed were truly "non-laying" there would be no breed - some lay at a higher rate than others, but they all produce eggs at some point.

WoodenCoyote said:

Are they really funny looking, as everyone says? I admit they're not as fat and fluffy as the hybrids across the road, but I put that down to age and exercise. They run around constantly from the moment they're let out in the morning.

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There is a huge range in appearance among various breeds, which get further muddled with crosses, etc - some are slender slips of birds and others are big, heavy things - your birds aren't funny looking at all.

Ol Grey Mare said:

There is a huge range in appearance among various breeds, which get further muddled with crosses, etc - some are slender slips of birds and others are big, heavy things - your birds aren't funny looking at all.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I've got first-timer jitters so it helps to hear that. My wife calls them The Little Horrors for all the mess they've made of the vegetable patch.

My mother-in-law came by work today and told me she's getting a new batch of chickens to replace the lot the fox carried off. I told her about the farmer I got mine from, but she turned me down.

She wants regular chickens, not "fancy ones"