Barred rocks not laying yet. Any advice?

[mlejneks]

I should add this, my chickens are in their coop/run most of the day. They use the nest box in the coop. I do free range them for a while in the evening when I get home, but I am sure the hen in question is not laying her eggs late in day/early evening while free ranging.

 

[KPchickies]

Have had 15 BR since first of April with 1 leghorn and have not seen any eggs yet. Is this normal? Also they are scratching the bedding out of the layer box. Should I make the edge a little taller? I'm getting frustrated and about ready to stick them in the freezer. Not want I want to do yet though. Any help or words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated.

I also got a barred rock back in April and was starting to worry as September came and went. Mine actually just started laying last week, making her about 27 weeks old. I have heard that is somewhat older for this breed to start laying, but now that she is she's laying every day, and her eggs from day one have been in great condition. So it might take yours a bit to lay but have no fear- it will happen!

 

[Fred's Hens]

I also got a barred rock back in April and was starting to worry as September came and went. Mine actually just started laying last week, making her about 27 weeks old. I have heard that is somewhat older for this breed to start laying, but now that she is she's laying every day, and her eggs from day one have been in great condition. So it might take yours a bit to lay but have no fear- it will happen!

That 27 weeks is quite normal. In fact, the tighter the barring, the better the breeding, the longer it takes for the pullets to mature and lay eggs. Our Ringlet line doesn't lay until 36 weeks.

Like fine wine, quality cannot be rushed.

 

[mlejneks]

Thanks for the helpful advise to stay patient. My biggest concern is that she was laying, for about a month, then stopped cold. It's isn't like she has yet to lay her first egg. My question is why has she stopped. Is that normal? My other Barred Rock continues to lay about 5 eggs per week.

 

[mlejneks]

Update - Nice surprise yesterday! Came home from work, let the hens out and looked in the nest box..........4 eggs! I had just about given up hope for my one Barred Rock. She hadn't laid a single egg in well over a month. Suddenly without warning, she laid one. Now the question is will she continue to lay, or take another month or more off? Time will tell.

 

[mlejneks]

She laid another egg the next day. Maybe she is ready to be a regular producer now.

 

[babowman3]

I have 2 BR, 2 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Easter Eggers, and 4 Golden Buff hens, and 1 Buff Orpington Rooster.They were hatched 8/19/13 from Meyer Hatchery, so they are only a little over 2 months old. But there's 1 Golden Buff and 1 Buff Orpington that hang out in the nest boxes, so I'm hoping they will be early starters! I'm worried though, because their 20 week old mark will be in January, and I know hens take a break, so I'm wondering if they will post pone till Spring. Hope not!! Love my girls.

 

[SusanPurdy]

I just got a few barred rocks, supposedly about 6-7 months old, and they aren't laying either. Would stress keep them from laying? I'm hoping the move has just delayed their egg production... They used to be free range hens and now they are in a coop 24/7. It's large enough but could they be depressed or something?

 

[song of joy]

Yes, the stress of the move, plus an adjustment to a new coop could prevent them from laying for a while. Had they started to lay before you got them, and are you sure about their age?

I have a 28-week-old pullet barred rock that just started laying last week, so perhaps your pullets hadn't started laying yet. If the combs and wattles are bright red and waxy-looking, and if the pullets squat or crouch down when you try to pet them, these are good signs that they will begin laying very soon. If the combs are small, dry-looking, and light pink rather than red, they haven't been laying and aren't close to laying.

Give them some time to adjust. After they've learned the coop is home, can you give them access to the outside in either a run or free-range? Birds that have been free-range tend to get stressed when they're confined 24/7.

 

[SusanPurdy]

I'm not able to let them free range. Tried that and found myself and several neighbors chasing chickens around my neighborhood! Their wings aren't clipped and I didn't raise them, so they don't trust me yet. I took a pic of the chickens so you can see the color of their wattles and combs. Also, if you'll notice, one has rather white-

looking ear lobes. Is this normal?