1 year old buff rocks still not laying?

[lilclementine]

We bought two buff rocks and two barred rocks as three-day old chicks on March 6, 2011. The barred rocks started laying one a day (maybe) back in November, but the buff rocks haven't layed at all yet. I should mention that this is the first time we've owned chickens. Is this normal?

We noticed that the barred rocks started laying almost immediately after we installed a window in the coop, so obviously the light helped. It just seems weird to me that the barreds lay but the buffs don't. We'd really like to buy more chicks soon but we want to make sure that the coop doesn't need any major changes before we add to the brood. The coop itself is a converted dog house.

Also, we live in southwest Montana. It's been an extremely mild winter here.

Any suggestions?

Thanks so much in advance!

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Glad you joined us!

Well, I guess I'll ask the obvious question. Are you certain that the Buff are both hens?

 

[lilclementine]

Thanks for the welcome!

LOL Good question! The buffs look just like the barreds except, obviously, a different color. They don't crow either. We had a barred rooster at one point and these buffs look absolutely nothing like him.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Frankly, it likely means you have a very, good, heritage type strain of Buff Rocks. The Barred Rocks are likely production strains from a hatchery? Slow developing breed often doesn't come to point of lay in time for the loss of light in fall. I suspect they'll start right up as the sun is now gaining ground every day and spring is coming.

Of course, you could "cheat" and give them supplemental light therapy.