9 month old New Hampshire hen not laying eggs yet

[CRAZYJAY]

I have a beautiful healthy (appearing) NH hen that still has not started laying. She was hatched the first week of June last summer and raised with several black copper marans. I had a couple other NH chicks, but they did not survive to adulthood. The marans started laying a few months ago, but my NH (Sandy) still has not started laying eggs. Is this normal? I did a search of the database for this info, as I felt someone must have asked a similar question before, but could not find anything. My Australorps, red sex links, and Ameraucaunas all started laying around the 6 month time frame. (give or take a few weeks), but poor Sandy is not. have tried the fake eggs in the nest, but no effect thusfar. I have them all in chicken tractors, and move them about the yard. I let them out into the yard whenever I am out there working in the yard, but don't leave them out as we live in the woods and alot of predators are in the woods. Do ya think she will ever start to lay eggs?

 

[RockerHen]

Some hens like to take their sweet time. Having hens lay their first egg even after a year old isn't common, but not unheard of. My silkies usually start at around 8 months. On the flip side, I've had leghorn and EEs lay right when they turned 5 months. It just depends on the individual hen, and the genetics behind them.

 

[CRAZYJAY]

thank you, I feel encouraged. I got only a very few hens of several different breeds, because I loved seeing the colorful egg baskets that are posted here on byc. It is just 10 months now since I got my first group of chicks, so I am really learning alot, but have a lot to learn yet. I have heard some say that if a hen is unhappy she will not lay eggs, and I have no idea how to make a hen happy. Especially this one.