Barnevelders SLOW?

[smith2]

Does anyone know if Barnevelders are slow to develop? I have 10 hens and roo that I got from Ideal in Late Mar. They have yet to lay an egg that I know of. Everyone else has started to lay. What is with them? They are beautiful birds. The roo is goreous. They won't get on a roost yet. Most of my chickens will roost when they start to lay. The Barnes are still all over the floor in corners, and they are smaller than the others? Anyone know anything about them?

 

[Henrietta23]

Not sure. Mine came from Ideal in early April and they're not laying yet either.

 

[ole-crone]

Mine came from Ideal last October and they hardly laid at all this past summer. I sold some to a friend and he was so disgusted at their lack of laying that he's selling them for $5 each. They laid a few times and then immediately went broody for both of us.

They are pretty to look at. I don't know if it is just Ideal's source or if all Barnvelders are like this.

 

[Chickndaddy]

My Barnevelders came from a breeder...can't remember their name. They were beautiful birds. Out of 30 - 40 pullets / hens, I might get 1-3 eggs a day. And they weren't dark. And the girls were super seasonal. The would lay from March through August. Sometimes into September and October. The only time laying picked up was when new pullets went on the yard. They would lay good for a week or two and then just peter out like the rest of the hens. It was depressing to go get their eggs in the evenings really. More often than not there weren't any.

 

[Bossroo]

Sounds like chicken soup to me !!!

 

[ole-crone]

It's sad because they are so pretty. I think I have one or two left. If anyone in northern UT just wants a nice pet, let me know. They are only a year old.

 

[smith2]

Thanks for all the info. I am going to put a light on them and see if it makes any difference. If they do not lay, they are soup!!

 

[amazondoc]

If they don't lay, give a few to me!

 

[Chickndaddy]

They are too pretty to eat...lol

 

[RAYAN]

I have 12 hens and get 10-12 eggs per day.They lay beautiful med-dark eggs. They ease off laying in the colder months though.
They mature the same as most other breeds.